Roses Aren't Red
by Mattaki-chan
Summary: Kagome finds a mysterious rose, and fate connects her to a demon with a force that she couldn't imagine. Sesshomaru is forced to face the only situation that scares him. SessKag. Rewrite of 'A Mysterious Flower'
1. The Beginning

"Shippo! Honey, please don't go too far!"

"I won't, Mama!" The young fox kit smiled happily at his mother, waving before he bounded off into the field of flowers. Kagome smiled back, pleased that her newly adopted son could have so much fun in these troubled times.

She sat delicately, trying to to squish any of the flowers. After many days of travel, the band had finally settled in this small village, a place that prided itself in the vast wildflowers that grew all around. The spring air was lush, and comforting. But Kagome was having a hard time fully enjoying herself. After all, it was difficult to think about anything when the issue of Inuyasha drew all her attention away.

The pathetic dog had drawn on her last nerve. It wasn't the fact that he had clearly made a final decision and chosen Kikyo over her. Kagome had given up on him after Kikyo had made herself present at her sixteenth birthday celebration, and draw Inuyasha away from the group for the entire night, before mysteriously vanishing again. Inuyasha had made it loud and clear during their fight that Kikyo was now the only one he wanted to give attention to.

Kagome tried to accept this gracefully, although there had been quite a bit of crying during her baths over the next few weeks, the only time she ever got for private things like tears. Sango had tried to help, but ultimately the transition wasn't as hard as Kagome expected. The hunt for the jewel was probably a good enough distraction that Kagome didn't have much extra room for things like heartbreak. No, the thing that bothered her most was that Inuyasha was such an _ass_ now.

Maybe after deciding he didn't like her, he thought he could treat her like a scrap of meat, good for nothing except the jewel, but Kagome had hoped they could remain friends. She had tried hard to be gracious, especially after that awful fight on her birthday, but all Inuyasha ever talked about was Kikyo, and how much stronger her powers were, and how Kagome could never match up to her.

"But she's dead!" Kagome had screamed when Inuyasha first told her about his choice.

"Well, dead is better than annoying," he retorted. That had stung immensely. Kagome tried not to think about those words a lot, and it got easier every day.

Still, as she watched her kit, that she had officially adopted a year ago and begun calling 'son,' she found herself still wishing that Inuyasha would stop being a pig. She wasn't a naïve, young fifteen year old girl. She was a strong, eighteen year old woman. She knew more about her powers, and could control them much better. She was strong, and her team members wouldn't hesitate to agree. Inuyasha was the only one who called her weak.

"Ah! Mama, come here!"

Kagome shot up, hearing Shippo's cry for help. Even after three years, during which he had grown considerably, Shippo was still a young boy, and depended on her. Kagome guessed that the absence of his own mother when he was little influenced his child-like behavior today. Not that she minded, she loved him dearly and let him do as he pleased.

Now, she was flooded with concern as she rushed to him. Shippo was glaring, a burn mark obvious on his hand.

"Oh, dear! Hold still." Kagome bent down, pulling a bandage out of her pocket. Since graduating high school with an advanced designation diploma, Kagome had switched from her school uniform to a more flexible hakama, much like the ones Kikyo wore. It was dyed a deep blue, with large pockets for holding useful objects. She had gotten it from her world, but her mother had sewn it to look more like the style of this era.

"That stupid plants burned my hand," Shippo complained.

"Plant?" Kagome asked, wrapping the bandage carefully over Shippo's hand and cursing herself for not having any burn cream with her at the moment. "What do you mean?"

"There." Shippo pointed to the left. Kagome turned, and her eyes went wide.

Kagome's mother had started to fancy botany lately, and so she had become acquainted with quite a few plants. And growing out of the ground was a single rose, pointed to the sky.

Kagome knew enough about roses to know that they grew in bushes, not on singular stems. She also knew that there weren't any breeds that had such a prominent purple color, as this one did. It was a royal purple, with a hint of blue mixed in, and unlike any flower she had ever seen.

"That's not a normal rose," she said, mostly to herself. "Maybe it's some sort of magic? I can't sense any demonic powers coming from it." She reached out to touch it.

"Mama, be careful!" Shippo tried to stop her, but Kagome pushed him back.

"It's all right, Shippo, I can handle this. I want to see if it does the same thing to me."

"But you'll get shocked," he said, as if Kagome were the child, and not him.

"I'm just testing it," Kagome said. She was confident that if she were hurt, it wouldn't be much of a problem to heal herself. She was very good at it, especially since she had learned to concentrate her miko abilities towards healing rather than blunt purification.

Her finger delicately brushed a petal. Nothing. "Huh." Braver, Kagome wrapped her hand around the stem. She could sense a small aura, but it weakened the moment she touched it. Kagome pulled gently, and the stem gave way, without offering the normal resistance a flower might have to being plucked.

"You're not hurt?" Shippo sounded surprised. Kagome smiled at him.

"I guess not. I wonder what kind of flower this is?" Kagome inspected it, but other than the color, nothing looked out of the ordinary. "Strange, indeed."

"Let's ask the group about it," Shippo suggested. He seemed back to his normal mood.

"Good idea. Come on, sweetie. We can get you some ointment for that burn, too." Kagome held Shippo's uninjured hand, keeping the flower away from him in her other hand, hoping that the strange flower might finally break the monotony the group had been experiencing lately.

()

Everyone was at camp, resting after a long day's walk down a mountain. Sango was preparing some sort of stew, while Miroku lounged about. Inuyasha hung out in a tree, and didn't even flinch when Kagome and Shippo entered the area.

"Kagome! Just in time for lunch," Sango said, smiling. "I made stew. I hope you like it."

"Thank you, Sango, but I have something important to talk about." Kagome released Shippo's hand, placing the rose gently on the ground as she grabbed her trusty yellow backpack. Grabbing the burn ointment, she motioned for Shippo to come over.

"Important?" Miroku stood, standing next to Kagome. "What is it?"

"Shippo found something rather abnormal." Kagome put the ointment on Shippo's hand, rewrapping the bandage quickly and putting her equipment away. "Miroku, how much do you know about plants?"

"Not much, I have to admit. Why?"

Kagome grabbed the rose, holding it up. "I don't know about you, but I've never seen a rose quite like this."

"Goodness, it's purple," Sango exclaimed, leaning close. Kagome's dear friend had not changed much in the passing years, except that her hair was now cut off at the shoulders, and her trademark pink kimono had become damaged, traded in for a dark blue one.

"Careful!" Kagome warned, pulling the rose away. "This thing burned Shippo!"

"Then why does it not burn you?" Miroku questioned. The monk was much the same as he had always been, even after he and Sango had finally married the previous year. He even continued groping women, to Sango's chagrin.

"Maybe 'cause it knows she ain't a threat!" Inuyasha commented from the tree.

"Inuyasha, this is no time to be sarcastic," Kagome chastised, trying to keep a level head. Did he really have to do that when they were trying to figure out something that could be connected to a dangerous demon?

"What's the point, anyway? That thing ain't got anything to do with the jewels, does it?"

"Inuyasha," Miroku said, "this might be important, so be quiet."

"Eh," was his response, shifting to face away from the group. Kagome sighed. She just wanted things to be the way they had been before Inuyasha had decided to start treating her like crap. He wasn't even trying to be nice to the other group members anymore. He was just a jerk who only stuck around so he could use them to track down Naraku.

"Anyway," Kagome sighed, "this flower has a small aura coming from it. I can sense it. But I don't know why it burned Shippo and not me."

"Perhaps it's because Shippo is a demon." Before Kagome could object, Sango took the rose from her hands.

"Ow!" Immediately, Sango dropped the flower and nursed her now burnt hand. "Crap!" Kagome grabbed her bag, taking out the ointment and spreading some on Sango's hand.

"Okay, so that theory is out. Perhaps it is because Kagome has purification abilities?" Miroku knelt by the rose, but didn't touch it. "I cannot think of another good reason."

"Well-"

"Inuyasha, sit!"

The dog smashed through the tree branch and into the ground, yelping on the way down. Kagome took some satisfaction in knowing that she could still do that. Part of her wondered if Inuyasha might finally be nice to her if she removed the necklace for him, guaranteeing that he would never have to sit again, but the other part of her knew that he would just sneer and complain about it not being taken off sooner. It was better to leave it on him.

"Anyway," Kagome said, "Miroku might be right. It might be my powers." She picked up the flower again. It was a very pretty rose, that, under normal circumstances, would have been something her mother would put on the windowsill for everyone to see. She touched the petals cautiously. They were softer than a normal rose, like silk. She leaned in carefully, sniffing it. It had a strong, sweet smell.

"Does it smell like a rose?" Shippo stood on his tiptoes. He was taller now than he had been when Kagome and Inuyasha first met him, maybe about the height of a nine year old, but still rather short.

Kagome nodded. "Yeah, it's really sweet. My mom told me that roses in my time are being cultivated by florists purely for looks, and the newer roses don't smell that strong. But this one has a very potent scent."

"I don't smell nothing," Inuyasha grumbled, still brushing dirt from his sleeves.

Shippo sniffed the air. "Neither do I. I can't smell any sort of flower scent."

"Interesting." Miroku put his hand on his chin, leaning in toward the rose. "I don't smell anything either. It appears that Kagome is the only one who can smell it."

"What makes me so special?" Kagome wondered.

"I sure as hell can't think of anything," Inuyasha mumbled.

"Sit," Kagome quickly said, not paying attention when he crashed to the ground. It was becoming somewhat of a reflex for her.

"Perhaps it would help to take this to Kaede?" Miroku suggested.

"He's got a point," Sango added. "She might know what it is. And we're not far from her village. We could be there by noon tomorrow."

"Great idea!" Kagome beamed. "Kaede would know for sure!"

"What about the jewels!" Inuyasha complained. "We haven't found a single shard in months, and Naraku hasn't shown up. He could be hiding around a corner, waiting for us!"

"Inuyasha, like Miroku said, this could be important," Sango chastised. "We'll find a shard if Kagome senses one, all right? You shouldn't be so impatient."

"Feh," was his answer.

"Don't mind him, Kagome." Miroku winked. "He's all bark and no bite."

"I know." Kagome smiled, but deep down, she truly wished Inuyasha could treat her with respect.

()

"Ah, Kagome. So nice to see you again." Kaede smiled warmly at her as she entered the hut, along with the rest of the group. "What brings ye here?"

"Hello, Kaede." Kagome waved, sitting down. "We have something important to ask about, actually."

"Oh? I'm not sure how much help I can provide."

"We're sure you might know about something as unusual as this." Miroku nodded to Kagome, who reached inside her bag. The rose was inside a cylindrical box that she used for holding herbs. She didn't want to risk damaging it. When she took it out, she expected to see that it was partially wilted, as flowers did when they weren't given enough water, but was surprised to see that it looked as healthy as it had yesterday.

"It didn't even wilt," Sango said, amazed.

"A purple rose? I don't think this old eye has seen something like that before." Kaede adjusted the patch over her bad eye and leaned in to get a better look.

"Watch out, it burns," Shippo warned.

"It's true, the rose has burned both Shippo and I." Sango rubbed her hand, still sore.

"And you, Kagome?"

"It doesn't burn, and I can smell a sweet scent coming from it. Shippo and Inuyasha claim they can't smell anything."

"Hmm." Kaede bent around, looking at the rose from all angles. "Interesting."

"Do you know anything?" Kagome asked, hopeful.

"I'm not sure. My sister was highly interested in plants and their uses when she was alive-"

"She _is _alive."

"Inuyasha, don't interrupt." He ignored her, but Kaede continued, "My sister used to tell me about different plants. The ones she studied were the plants with special powers, the ones that were used by intelligent demons for dangerous concoctions, and the like."

"I didn't know that." Kagome peered at the rose. There were many things that Kikyo had learned in her life that she did not yet know. Despite the fact that Inuyasha had chosen the revived Kikyo over her, Kagome admired her strength. She wanted to be a powerful miko like her.

"Aye." Kaede nodded. "I vaguely remember my sister telling me about something like this. I was very young, so forgive me if my memory is faded." She paused. "What I can remember is that she mentioned a type of flower, a rare type, that could only be picked by certain females. She could not find an example for herself, nor any record of them besides hearsay. She gave up on finding out any more about them."

The group was silent, thinking.

"That doesn't give us much, but it's a start," Kagome finally said. "Thank you, Kaede." She bowed her head.

"Aye, it is no problem, child. Let me know if you need my help again."

"We will." Kagome smiled. "We should be going. We still need to finish our hunt for the shards, and Naraku." She stood, urging the rest of them to leave.

"Finally, let's get some shards!" Inuyasha smiled, but it was more to himself than anyone else.

"I hope we can see you again soon, Kaede!" Shippo smiled and waved.

"Yes, I hope so too." Kaede waved back, hoping that withholding the information about the rose was the right thing to do.

()

The rewrite is here!

I hope you guys all like this. It's gonna be different from the original story, A Mysterious Flower, but I'm sure it'll be a lot better. Enjoy, and don't forget to review :)


	2. The Dragon

The grass rustled, making way for the descent of the powerful youkai lord, as he stepped off his favored mode of transportation. The cloud dissipated, leaving him alone with the moon.

There were no creatures around, but Sesshomaru could smell Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un. He always made sure their camps were in areas that contained no youkai.

Sesshomaru, however, was not thinking about them. Jaken and Ah-Un guarded Rin well enough, and after spying on the camp, and assessing everyone's health, he summoned his cloud, and began heading in the opposite direction.

After following Naraku's scent for weeks, the trail had suddenly gone cold. Sesshomaru growled. It felt as if every time he got close, he lost him. Such was Naraku's game, and Sesshomaru tired of it.

Sesshomaru was also bothered by an odd feeling he was having as of late. It felt as if he were looking for something. Or perhaps something was looking for him. It was disturbing. But Sesshomaru could not detect anyone watching him, and that irritated him more.

"Ah, Master Sesshomaru. So nice to see you."

Sesshomaru came to a halt, looking around. "Down here."

On his shoe, as lazy as could be, was Myoga. Sesshomaru frowned. He did not appreciate visits from his father's former adviser. The flea associated with Inuyasha far too often.

However, Sesshomaru was surprised that he had slipped onto his shoe without him noticing. He did not show it.

"What do you come here for, flea?"

"Now, that is no way to greet an old friend of your father," Myoga complained, jumping onto Sesshomaru's shoulder. "I was merely trying to be polite."

"You will refrain from getting too close to this Sesshomaru." He picked the flea up by his collar, glaring.

Myoga sighed, but ignored Sesshomaru's impudence. He acted just the way his father had when he was young, except he hadn't grown out of that attitude.

"Well, excuse me, your lordship," he said with a touch of sarcasm, "but I came here about something important. You remember your father's human mistress, do you not?"

Sesshomaru was tempted to throw the flea onto the ground, a hundred feet below. "I recall the wench."

"Do you remember how he met her?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "What are you going on about?"

()

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin sprang to life, leaping from her bed and into her caretaker's arms.

"Rin." He gave her a pat on the head before setting her down.

"Hello, my lord. Did you have any luck finding a lead on Naraku?"

Sesshomaru glared at the imp, giving him a sufficient answer. He walked to Ah-Un, petting the two-headed youkai. The dragon reveled in it, rarely getting any attention from his master.

"I have a job for you," Sesshomaru said, before whispering in the youkai's ear.

"What's that?" Jaken strained to hear what his lord was saying.

"Enough. Jaken, Rin, go to bed. It is late." With that, Sesshomaru sat against a tree, closing his eyes. Rin obeyed immediately, but Jaken hesitated. He didn't like not knowing what Sesshomaru was up to, but it seemed to happen often. His lordship didn't trust him with secrets.

Ah-Un obeyed his master's orders, waiting patiently until everyone was asleep. As soon as he could hear Jaken's slow breathing, a sure sign that the master's two companions would not awake, he stood and prepared to leave camp. Sesshomaru, of course, was not asleep. Youkai as powerful is his lordship rarely needed sleep.

He swiftly departed. Sesshomaru did not usually ask for direct favors from him, unless it needed to be kept from the imp, or it was something he considered too tedious for himself to do.

Ah-Un himself did not entirely understand what he was to do. Sesshomaru had simply asked if something unusual was happening with his brother's group of friends. While it did seem to tedious for his lordship, Ah-Un did not know his reasons for it.

But questioning his lordship was not in Ah-Un's nature. He simply flew, searching the air for the scent of Inuyasha and his friends. It was not often that he was around them. He was usually sent off with the imp and the friendly human while his lordship did battle.

Ah-Un knew that they could not be far from his lordship's brother. He had fought with them only a few days ago. And without the human girl to worry about, Ah-Un could fly as fast as he liked. It wasn't long before he breached the border between the forest and the valley, and began to see villages.

The largest village of the area, Edo, was one that Ah-Un knew well. Sesshomaru had considered more than once leaving the human there to live with her human kind, but never went through with it. Ah-Un sniffed the air, and caught the scent of Inuyasha in the winds. It certainly hadn't been hard to find him.

But the scent was a few days old. Ah-Un followed the trail, leaving the village and heading towards the forest once more, east of where his lordship's camp was.

Ah-Un wondered how the group didn't get into more trouble, with how obvious their scent was. Their camp was somewhat hidden, but easy enough to locate. He descended, careful to stay quiet and inconspicuous.

The group was sleeping peacefully. The scent of Inuyasha was there, but it was faint. The hanyou was not there at the moment. The other four group members were asleep.

That was what Ah-Un thought, at least. One of them suddenly sat up, and looked straight at him.

It was the miko. She blinked, and stood. Ah-Un backed away, ready to fly after being discovered.

"Wait." Her voice was soft, gentle. He paused. She did not seem to intend harm. "You're Sesshomaru's youkai, aren't you?" she continued. Ah-Un hesitated, and nodded. She smiled, and walked to him. Ah-Un could sense no malicious intent.

"You're a pretty boy, huh?" she cooed, petting his head. Ah-Un rubbed against her hand. Her touch was as gentle as her voice.

Ah-Un had seen the miko, but had never interacted with her. He recalled seeing her wearing a short, green kimono. Not this long, blue hakama. She looked more like the other humans he saw, less different. But her miko aura set her far apart. Her power was obvious.

"I wish a certain somebody was as nice as you," she muttered, scratching his ear. Ah-Un made a noise, curious. "Oh, it's my stupid 'friend,'" she answered with contempt. Ah-Un had not expected her to understand him, but listened carefully. "He think he's so great, with his dead priestess girlfriend. I don't have anything against her, but he doesn't have to be such a jerkass just because he doesn't have a romantic interest anymore."

Ah-Un made a sympathetic noise, unable to speak in her own language. She seemed to understand well enough. "Thank you," she said, rubbing his neck. "I appreciate the kindness. But may I ask, why are you here?" She looked into his eyes. "You belong to Sesshomaru, don't you?"

Ah-Un nodded. Kagome rubbed his ears. They were soft and flexible, despite being covered in small scales. "I can understand most youkai speak fairly well now. I've been studying it a lot. Could you tell me why you are here?"

The dragon stared at her, unsure if he should reveal his lordship's request. He did not even want his adviser to know about it, and his lordship trusted Jaken with most anything.

But the miko's eyes were so trusting. And it felt so nice when she pet him. Ah-Un debated internally. "Please? I need to know if Sesshomaru is planning something against us. I don't want my friends to be hurt. Surely you understand that," the miko begged.

Ah-Un hesitated. But that look in her eyes was hard to resist. It was much like the look that the human girl had when she desperately wanted something. He breathed heavily, his version of a sigh. He would have to give in.

Sesshomaru waited for Ah-Un quite a while. The dragon was fast in flight, and he knew his brother's band could not be far off. The words Myoga had said to him echoed in his mind, itching at the back of his head. The flea was not the smartest creature on the planet, but his words of the Inu no Taishou always rang true, and this, Sesshomaru was sure, was no exception.

()

Hey, it's Mattaki here. Hope you liked this. Please review :)


	3. The Capture

"That's it?"

The dragon nodded.

"Huh." Kagome sat, wondering. The only thing the dragon seemed to know was that his master had sent him here to report any new happenings in the group. Kagome had known the dragon was spying, but such vague instructions did not fit Sesshomaru. "Well, thank you for telling me," she said, smiling. "I know it was against Sesshomaru's orders." She scratched Ah-Un's ears.

The dragon made a pleased noise, happy to help this kind human. Only she and the lordship's ward were kind to him, all other humans too afraid to think of showing kindness.

"Hmm. It seems odd that the timing would be so coincidental, though," Kagome muttered. The dragon looked up. _What do you mean?_ He said it in his own language, but Kagome had no problem understanding him.

"Nothing," she answered. "If I told you, Sesshomaru might find out. I apologize, but I can't risk it." She rubbed his head gently. "It may be something important, and right now he's our enemy."

Ah-Un nodded, understanding well enough. But as he nodded, he realized how long he had been gone. His lordship would have expected him back by now.

_I have to go, _he said to the miko. She paused, and nodded knowingly. "Okay, get going. It was nice to see you. You're a very nice youkai." She kissed the dragon's forehead. Ah-Un jumped, surprise skittering along his skin. No human had done that before.

Kagome giggled. "I hope we may see each other again, Ah-Un."

The dragon left swiftly, and Kagome was alone again. Ah-Un, having told her his intentions, had earned her trust. But now she was suspicious of Sesshomaru. They had just fought with him last week, and now he was sending spies. She was surprised the dragon had willingly told her what was up, but he seemed the type of youkai not to think too much about what people asked of him. He tried to please everyone by listening to what he was asked.

Kagome sat on her sleeping bag, still wondering. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a wooden box, one that had been used to hold her hair clips in previous days, and opened it. The strange rose lay there, not a single sign of wilting. Kagome felt the petals. They were soft, like velvet. She had no way of keeping the flower in water for extended periods of time, but she hadn't worried about it wilting. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, it was still alive.

Kagome scrunched her eyebrows. Kaede had said that there was a special flower, only to be picked by certain females. But she hadn't seemed entirely honest about what she was saying. Kagome was not one to doubt her friends, especially someone like Kaede, but she had a nagging feeling about the flower. Something told her that Kaede knew more than she revealed.

However, Kaede was stubborn, and there would be no way to make her give up information she was hiding. And it might just be a silly feeling, though Kagome usually trusted her intuition.

She sighed, putting the rose away. There wasn't much use in wondering about Kaede. She should be more focused on the present, and that brought her thoughts back to Sesshomaru. The youkai was very stoic and secretive, there was no doubt about that. And despite clearly not wanting Inuyasha's sword anymore, he still fought with him from time to time. Kagome had no way of knowing why, though she suspected it was part of their deep rooted rivalry. They had showed quite a distaste for one another, even before Inuyasha had gained his father's sword.

And sending Ah-Un right after they had acquired the flower was suspicious.

But it was late, and Kagome was tired. She didn't feel like thinking about it at this hour. Collapsing onto her sleeping bag, her last thoughts remained on Ah-Un, and why Sesshomaru had sent him here. The thought that Sesshomaru might be connected to the rose was still there, but easily dismissed as sleep overcame her.

()

Ah-Un landed hesitantly. If his lordship found out that he had divulged information to the miko, he would have his head. Ah-Un never was very good at resisting people's requests, after all. It was this weakness that made him wonder why his lordship kept him around.

"Ah-Un." Sesshomaru glanced at the dragon. Ah-Un walked quietly, trying not to awaken the girl and the imp. "Did you notice anything amiss with my brother's band?"

The dragon shook his head. He could at least be partially truthful in that, knowing the miko had refused to tell him anything.

Sesshomaru was displeased with the news. Nothing going on with the group meant Myoga might be lying. Either that, or Ah-Un wasn't a good spy. He sniffed carefully. The dragon had the scent of Inuyasha's wench on him. The miko.

Something about her scent had always intrigued Sesshomaru. But he dismissed the dragon. Her scent was of no consequence. Ever since her powers had developed, her scent was much more noticeable than even Inuyasha's. It was easy to see why her scent would cover the dragon more than the others.

Light eventually permeated the camp. Rin woke up with her usual excitement. Jaken was as grouchy as ever. Sesshomaru ignored both, thinking about the flea and his words as they left the area.

Something stirred within the youkai, something that he did not enjoy hearing from. _**Something bothering you, Sesshomaru?**_ The voice sounded smug. Arrogant. Sesshomaru growled to himself. His inner youkai was one of the more annoying things in life. It felt like he had multiple personality disorder, but it was perfectly normal for male youkai. Still, he wished there was a way to prevent the thing from talking. _**The flea's words bother you, don't they?**_

_ Shut up, _was Sesshomaru's quick reply. He had no time for his inner youkai. _**I know what it means, you know. **_

He stopped dead. Ah-Un stopped as well, confused.

_ What do you mean? You cannot know something that I do not,_ Sesshomaru growled.

His inner youkai laughed. _**Yes, I can, and it's called instinct. I know because every male inu youkai knows it from birth. They just don't realize they know it. **_

Sesshomaru began walking again, annoyed. His inner youkai was the exact opposite of him in ways, and enjoyed teasing him to no end. Once again he wished he could shut him up.

_**Wouldn't you like to know what he meant?**_

Sesshomaru ignored the voice. His inner youkai would never tell him, and he knew it. It was a part of his mind that he could not access by force or coercion. It would do no good to ask it to divulge information that it would simply withhold at the last second.

But it's words did make him think. Myoga had been cryptic before jumping off his cloud and producing what looked like a tiny cloth from a hidden compartment and using it to catch the wind, floating gently to the ground. Sesshomaru's threat to toss him had not truly scared the flea. He thought back to what he had said.

_"You and your father, you are more alike than you think. I was with Inuyasha the other day, and I must say, there have been some interesting developments. I suggest you check it out." _

But that was all the flea would say before taking off. Sesshomaru had no idea what his brother had to do with anything, but the flea was not in the habit of lying, even if he did not give the straight truth.

His inner youkai did not bother him any longer, and Sesshomaru was grateful for it.

"You stupid girl!" Jaken bellowed, swinging his staff. "Leave that plant alone!"

"But Jaken, it's pretty!" She picked the berry covered stem, admiring it. Sesshomaru caught a glimpse, and quickly snatched the plant away.

"Rin, those berries are poisonous." He quickly turned to begin walking again.

"Don't touch my staff!" Jaken screamed again. Sesshomaru growled.

"I am going," he announced, glaring at the imp. "I need time to think. Watch over Rin, Jaken." With that, Sesshomaru left swiftly. He couldn't think with the two of them disturbing him. He cared about Rin a great deal, but the way she bickered with Jaken was infuriating. Especially since she was beginning to figure out that he wouldn't let Jaken hurt her, and she could get away with teasing him.

Sesshomaru summoned his could, flying quite a distance. But only a few minutes had passed before he heard the scream.

()

Kagome crashed through the forest, barely aware of the hanyou at her side.

"You idiot! Where do you get off running like that!"

"I can sense shards!" Kagome explained, barely paying attention to him. Kirara flew beside her, carrying Miroku, Sango, and Shippo. Kagome hopped on expertly, shifting Shippo to her lap. "They're up ahead! It's not a huge aura. I think there's only one shard."

"Keh, finally. It's about time you sensed _something._" Inuyasha sped up, dancing between trees. Kagome ignored him, focusing on the aura. "Left, toward the west. Good girl," she instructed Kirara. The cat youkai had learned to listen to her as well as her youkai slaying master, and obeyed dutifully.

The aura grew stronger. Kagome honed in on it. But she sensed something else as well.

"I can smell a human!" Inuyasha announced. "It's Sesshomaru's ward!" he added after a moment.

"Rin?" Kagome paled at the thought of the young girl in danger. She had only seen her on a couple of occasions, but her motherly instincts urged her to protect any child. She clutched Shippo to her. "We'd better hurry!"

A scream sounded in the distance. Kagome's heart clenched. Squeezing Kirara's sides, she hoped that it wasn't too late for the little girl.

()

Hey, people! Mattaki-chan here. I know, it's been a while since I actually wrote an afterword for a chapter. How are you liking the new story? I'm used to writing in first person, not third person, so this may not be as good as my usual work, but I'm trying hard to improve.

So, a lot of stuff is gonna change in this new story, but the plot will still be basically the same. Unnecessary stuff is getting axed, new characters may show up, and who knows what may shift around. As you may have noticed (you probably didn't) Kagome is aware of Ah-Un and Rin's existence in this story, while in the last one she didn't know them until after meeting them in various chapters. Other such things will be changed as well, but it's all to make the story more believable and a better read. Updates should come about once a week, on the weekends when I actually have time to write.

I'm going to say this takes place after the last episode of the first series. Some of you may know, a final Inuyasha series has begun airing in Japan, still going along the same storyline as the manga, which is now finished. I'm also aware of how the manga ends, but I won't spoil it. Anyway, I just want to let everyone know where I was placing my series, since some events in the new anime may conflict with the story. I haven't seen any of the new anime, so I wouldn't know what happens.

Anyhow, enough rambling. Thanks to everyone who is reading the new version of the story! And also thanks to all the people who have just picked it up. I appreciate it a lot. I also would like people to know that I changed my username because the last one didn't sound good to me anymore, and Mattaki-chan is the name I like to use on the internet now.

And, as always, please review! I love reading about what you think of each chapter, and the reviews always inspire me to write more. Ja ne! :-)


	4. The Rescue

Hey, people! My computer is still broken, but my parents let me borrow their laptop for writing. So, here is chapter four!

()

Rin struggled, desperate to free herself from the grip of the youkai that had shown itself so suddenly. Only moment afters Lord Sesshomaru left, it seemingly appeared out of thin air in front of them, grabbing Rin and running. Jaken and Ah-Un had no time to react.

"Heh. If you want to live, I suggest you stop struggling," the youkai that held her warned. She stopped, staring at him. He had two massive heads, both of which spoke at the same time. His misshapen hand crushed her, barely allowing her to breath. The humanoid feet shook the ground.

Rin felt hot tears fall down her cheeks. She had never been taken like this before, though attempts had been made on her head. Many youkai assumed that she was Lord Sesshomaru's weak spot. But Jaken and Ah-Un together were always enough to protect her when Lord Sesshomaru was gone. But the suddenness of this attack had not given them the chance.

The youkai stopped, and Rin began to feel strange. A burst of light flashed, blinding her.

When she opened her eyes, they were in a different place. A swamp. Gases bubbled from the depths, the stench making her wretch. The youkai smirked, pounding one foot harshly.

The water bubbled again, and two eyes appeared. Rin gasped. From the filthy liquid, a creature resembling a snake surfaced, black as midnight and a hungry look in his eyes.

"The girl," the snake hissed, flicking his tongue. The youkai held his hand out, forcing Rin above the foul water. She almost puked.

"Give me the shard, as you promised. If I have one more shard, then I will surely be able to take over this area."

"Power does not interest me," the snake hissed. "But it will surely be a pleasure to know that I am feasting upon the loved one of the youkai that forced me from my home in the west." He was the only snake Rin had ever seen that could grin, and it sent chills down her spine. "I have the shard here," he said, lifting up his tongue. Rin saw a glint of sunlight. Looking harder, she could see something shiny embedded under the slimy appendage.

"IRON REAVER, SOUL STEALER!"

The cry caught the attention of the youkai for one moment, before the attack came barreling through, slicing the air and tossing both youkai. Rin was released, hurdling and screaming in terror.

"Gotcha!" Rin thumped against something, forcing the air from her lungs, but saving her from a terrible fall to the ground. She peered behind her to see a smiling woman. She wore a youkai slayer's clothes, with her hair tied into a pony-tail.

"Keh, as if a couple youkai could get away with killing a human." Inuyasha landed gracefully, Tetsusaiga in it's full form. Kagome stood beside him, notching an arrow.

"Huh?" the youkai asked stupidly, rubbing one of his heads. "Hey!" he growled. "Give me the girl! She's mine!"

"I don't think so." Inuyasha swung his sword, confident. "Where's the shard, Kagome?"

"In his chest," she said without hesitating. After a moment, she said, "There's another one around here too. It's . . ." She looked, and saw the snake recovering in the swamp waters, shaking algae off it's body. "There! In the snake's mouth!"

"You get him, I'll take care of this guy." Inuyasha leaped in front of the two-headed youkai, smirking. "You're gonna pay. WIND SCAR!"

Using his most famous attack, Inuyasha was sure he had killed the youkai.

"I'll purify you to Hell," Kagome muttered, pulling her arrow tight. The snake hissed. Before he could move, Kagome released the arrow, calling out, "Hit the mark!"

The dust of the wind scar settled, and the light from Kagome's arrow faded. Both youkai were gone.

"Think you can get rid of us that easily?"

Kagome and Inuyasha spun around, seeing the two youkai behind them, both grinning. The snake hissed, raising his tail. "You will be vanquished," he said.

"Damn youkai!" Sango raised her weapon, ready to attack.

"Violent pond scum." Before Sango could move, a green light illuminated their vision, and suddenly the youkai split into pieces, falling to the ground.

Sesshomaru landed, the poison dissipating from his claws.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried with joy. Sango released her, and Rin dove into his arms, ignoring the piles of rotting youkai flesh. Sesshomaru hugged her briefly before releasing her.

"Thank goodness." Kagome approached the youkai, carefully pulling out both shards. They glowed, and she smiled. "That was wonderful, Sesshomaru. Thank you very much." She bowed.

"Hn. I was simply retrieving my ward."

"They saved me, Lord Sesshomaru," Rin announced. "I would have been killed if they hadn't showed up. Thank you, miss." Rin bowed her thanks to Kagome.

"You're quite welcome." Kagome patted Rin's head. "I wouldn't let a girl like you come to harm."

Sesshomaru, not seeing any value in this, hoisted Rin into his arms and began to summon his cloud.

"Let me see the shards!" Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's backpack, trying to pull it open.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome pulled the backpack away, but the top flew open. A wooden box fell to the ground, flipping open upon impact.

"Lord Sesshomaru, look!" Rin squealed, pointing at the group. Sesshomaru halted, almost ready to take off. He saw the the miko bend down to pick up the box, and caught site of what was in it.

He put Rin down and rushed over, snatching the box from Kagome.

"Hey!" Kagome stood, grabbing for the box. Sesshomaru easily held her back with his hand. "You'll get burned!"

Sesshomaru, never one to heed threats, removed the rose and tossed the box.

He waited, but nothing happened. "Burned?" he questioned. "It appears you are mistaken, wench." He twiddled the rose between his fingers.

"But, wait, the rose burned everyone else." Kagome peered at the rose, keeping a distance from the dangerous inu youkai. She noticed that it was the same deep purple as the crescent moon imprint on Sesshomaru's forehead. "I suppose I was right when I thought you might be connected to it."

Sesshomaru eyed her warily. "Miko, you will explain to this Sesshomaru exactly where you found this."

"She don't have to explain nothing!" Inuyasha jumped in front of Kagome. "I don't care who can touch that stupid rose or why. Get out of here before I slice yer face off," he snarled.

Sesshomaru paused. "Very well," he replied, "but I am taking this rose."

Understanding dawned on Inuyasha. "You want it? Why?"

Kagome sighed at his predictability. Inuyasha only wanted to know so he could take it and foil whatever plans his brother had.

"What he means, Sesshomaru," she said, stepping in front of Inuyasha, "is that we have been wondering what that rose is, and why I'm the only one capable of touching it." She tried to imbue as much civility into her voice as possible, to appeal to Sesshomaru's regal side. "If you are also capable of handling the rose, it must mean something."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. The wench was presumably connected to the rose.

_"Father, why do you spend time doting on that woman?"_

He paused, a voice from ages ago invading his mind. His voice. It was a question, posed to his father about his human mistress. But why the old conversation came to him now was a mystery.

"Miko," he said, realizing that he had hesitated, "I do not answer the questions of humans. But I will be taking this rose into my possession. If you are lucky, I will not slay your group any time soon." His threat posed and his status as a powerful youkai reinforced, Sesshomaru snatched Rin and left.

"Get back here, bastard!" Inuyasha tried to pursue, but the youkai cloud was too fast. He had no hope of catching his brother.

Kagome watched him leave, thoroughly confused. Her suspicions of Sesshomaru being connected to the rose were confirmed, but the way he left made it seem as if he knew less about it than she did. He may have fooled her friends, but her miko skills had also helped train her in the art of reading people's speech. He had hesitated. He did not know why he could touch it, or how they were both connected with it.

Inuyasha was blind to that fact, chasing his brother through the forest.

"Arrogant fool," Kagome muttered. To Sango, she said, "Let's get going. We've got two more shards, and those are two that Naraku won't have. We need to keep looking."

"All right." Sango hopped onto Kirara. "Inuyasha will find us later."

()

Sesshomaru landed swiftly in the camp. Jaken was lying against a tree, his shirt torn in places, but no visible wounds. Ah-Un jumped to his feet when he saw his lordship descending.

"My lord!" Jaken sat up, sweat still glistening on his brow. "The girl was just here, and I-" He stopped, watching Rin run to hug Ah-Un. "You rescued her. I mean, of course you did! You are the most powerful youkai-"

"Shut up." Sesshomaru was not in the mood for listening to the imp. He was more concerned with the rose he now held in his hands.

The miko was connected to it, and if her words of no one else being able to handle this flower were true, then he was connected to it as well. And Myoga had told him to inspect his brother's group for new objects. The color of the rose was suspicious enough on its own.

Myoga had also mentioned his father's human mistress, although he had explained nothing behind why he mentioned her.

_"You and your father, you are more alike than you think." _

His father. Mention of the human mistress. And this rose that was connected to both himself and the miko.

Sesshomaru's brows raised, though he was careful to hide the expression from the others. It did not take a genius to figure out what Myoga was insinuating, and Sesshomaru was far from stupid. _Does the flea honestly expect me to believe that I am to take a human mate, the way my father did?_

The Lord of the West was not about to disgrace his family that way. It hardly mattered that they were seemingly connected. After all, it was a flower. And Sesshomaru would be damned if he would let a plant put any strange meaning to his life.

Besides, he could not recall any such flowers in his father's possession. This would most likely be coincidence. His power was great. It would not be a challenge to overcome an enchanted rose that harmed others. And it was quite probable that the miko's abilities were what kept her safe from the nature of the rose. He was not bound to a simple human in any way.

_**Are you quite sure?**_

He growled. His inner youkai was back. _Leave me alone, _he threatened. The voice did not respond.

Satisfied, Sesshomaru tucked the rose under his clothes. He would summon the flea, and have his suspicions confirmed when the flea told him that the rose had nothing to do with how the Inu no Taishou came upon his mistress.

Either way, it was clear that the miko had feelings for his brother. Sesshomaru had tried to kill her on more than one occasion, and his brother protected her. It was obvious which of the two she would choose as her own mate.

()

Hi again! As I said above, my parents are letting me use their computer for writing. I will try to continue with weekly updates.

Ooooh, Sesshy's being bad, stealing flowers and aggravating hanyous. Well, at least Kagome is being a good sport about it. She doesn't seem too upset, though I expect her to get mad eventually, ha ha. This story is quite different, if you compare it to the other story (I suggest you don't, the other story's writing is much worse .). I'm pretty happy with how it's going so far.

Please keep reading, and please review, so that I can get some feedback. Feedback is what helps this story keep going. Thanks so much, everybody! Ja ne!


	5. The Knowledge

Hi, Mattaki here. This is chapter five, and for some reason alerts didn't go out for chapter four. If you haven't read chapter four, please go back and read it. Thanks!

()

"I still don't understand why Sesshomaru would want it." Kagome lit another match, trying to start a decent fire. The grass caught fire, lighting the kindling underneath. Kagome watched it, making sure the fire didn't go out.

"Sesshomaru does a lot of thing we don't understand." Miroku sat, resting his staff against a tree. "Perhaps he thought the rose would have some magical qualities that he could use."

"Maybe." Kagome blew gently on the fire to encourage it, and dug into her bag to take out the ramen. Inuyasha was still missing, but her guess was that he was nearby, and would come running when he smelled the ramen cooking.

"It was rather rude of him to take it without asking. But I suppose that _is _Sesshomaru." Sango took Kirara into her lap. "I should have given him a talking to." She motioned to her Hiraikotsu.

"It's strange." Kagome hung a pot above the fire with her portable metal hanger, happy to have something so useful. She emptied water from the canteen into it. "It looked to me like he didn't really know why he wanted it in the first place. Something tells me that maybe someone else told him to get it."

"No one tells him what to do, though." Sango put a hand to her chin. "He wouldn't listen to just anyone about it."

"No, I guess not." Kagome opened a ramen cup, smelling the flavored powdered.

Suddenly, she felt sick to her stomach. Standing, Kagome dropped the ramen and bent over, wrenching violently.

"Kagome!" Sango rushed over, putting her arms on Kagome's back. "What's wrong!"

"I don't know," she panted. "I-" She wrenched again, spilling the contents of her stomach on the ground.

"Mama!" Shippo cried.

()

Inuyasha sighed, wondering how long this would slow them down.

Kagome was curled up in her sleeping bag, breathing heavily. Sango had made everyone else their ramen, but Kagome refused to eat. Shippo fidgeted next to the sleeping bag, wishing he could do something.

"Great, something else to worry about," Inuyasha complained. Everyone else glared at the hanyou. "Ow!"

"The least you could do is show some compassion, Inuyasha." Miroku laid his staff aside, glad to have an excuse to hit him. "I realize that you no longer have feelings for Kagome, but that does not mean you have to be so cruel towards her. She is our friend, and she is doing the best she can to help us. You ought to be grateful to have someone like her around."

"Whatever, I'm done eating. See you in the morning." Inuyasha turned and left, leaving the group annoyed with him.

"Thanks."

Miroku turned to face Kagome, who was smiling slightly. "I appreciate being defended."

"It is no problem, Kagome." He smiled. "I would be happy to do so any day."

Kagome nodded, closing her eyes. She quickly fell asleep. When he was sure she wouldn't wake up, he sat by the fire, eating the ramen Sango gave him.

"I have some suspicions," he said. "Kagome might not take this news well, and although I am sad to see her ill, this gives me a chance to talk about it."

"About what?" Shippo sat next to Sango, gravitating towards the nearest female figure available. "Do you know something about Mama?"

"Well . . ." Miroku hesitated. "I wouldn't say I know anything. I'm suspicious. You see, Kikyo was not the only one to research plants imbued with youkai powers.

"In my training as a monk, I was required to study a wide array of topics, and that included magical plants. I first wondered when Kagome found the rose, if it was a special youkai flower. Kaede's words helped confirm this. But I wasn't certain about what kind of youkai flower, until Sesshomaru was able to take it from us. Now I think I know."

"Well, stop stalling and tell us!" Sango blushed at her outburst, a bit too eager to hear this.

"Yes, of course." Miroku smiled at her, but became serious. "I have only heard of one type of flower that will allow more than one certain person to touch it. Most plants that restrict its holders will limit it to one single person. If that certain person is actually two people, I am fairly sure I know what it is."

"And?" Shippo prompted.

"The _Hana no Shukumei. _Otherwise known as the Flower of Fate, or the Destiny Bloom. It is born from powers unknown, and allows only two people to come in contact with it. Those two people are said to be bound together by the Gods themselves, destined to become lovers."

There was a long pause.

"Wait," Sango said. "So if Kagome and Sesshomaru can touch it . . . you think they're _bound _to each other!" She almost wanted to laugh, if the situation were less serious.

"It's only a guess. Perhaps Sesshomaru can touch it because he's a powerful youkai and can overcome it. But from what I read, even the most powerful youkai cannot possess the flower unless it wants to be held."

Sango glanced at Kagome, still asleep. "Sounds like we've got some complications to sort out."

()

Hey, Mattaki here. I hope you guys liked this chapter. Sorry it was so short. And it seems people didn't get alerts for the last chapter, for whatever reason. Anyway, this is short because I don't have much writing time today. Like I said in chapter four, my computer is broken but I'm using my parents laptop for writing. Updates are still happening on the weekends.

Please review this chapter. I love hearing what you guys think. See you next time! Ja ne!


	6. The Information

"This Sesshomaru will reveal the nature of this flower, _now._" Sesshomaru growled another time, demanding an answer.

_**"How about 'no'?"**_ was the only response. He snarled, and sighed. His inner youkai refused to tell him about the flower, although he clearly knew about it. His 'instinct' supposedly had all the knowledge about it. _**"You have to find out on your own."**_

And he was beginning to hate that excuse.

Rin and Jaken, with Ah-Un, had been given instructions to head north, while he tried to figure out what in the world was so special about this flower. The fact that his inner youkai knew about it was an obvious sign that he was connected to it.

_**"Do not blame your frustrations on me." **_His inner youkai snickered in his mind. Sesshomaru ignored it, waiting for the flea to show up, as summoned.

He had sent Ah-Un to summon the flea the night before, with instructions to meet him in the morning. Just as he was thinking of this, he detected a scent, and looked to his left.

The flea was hopping on the ground, and easily jumped to his lordship's shoulder. "Lord Sesshomaru, it is so nice of you to call me, though unusual. What can be the matter?" He sounded truly concerned, and Sesshomaru wondered why. The flea had never shown much concern for him before.

He was about to answer, when the flea gasped, staring at the rose in his hand. "L-Lord Sesshomaru, is that what I think it is? The _Hana no Shukumei_?"

"What do you speak of, flea? This is a rose that I retrieved from my brother."

Myoga's eyes widened, and changed with understanding. "Ah, I see. Yes, I was looking in on them a while back. I suspected that it was the Hana. The fact that you are now holding it only confirms it. Lord Sesshomaru, I must tell you that the rose you hold in your hands is a magical rose, created by the Gods themselves."

Sesshomaru peered at the flower. "It does not appear special, save for the color."

"Lord Sesshomaru, did you notice that the color matches your own crescent moon birthmark?"

"And?" Sesshomaru was not about to let on that his interest had peaked.

Myoga sighed. "Lord Sesshomaru, the color is specific to you. Miss Kagome is the only person capable of holding it, besides yourself. And the Hana is a flower that binds individuals together. You are bound to Miss Kagome, Lord Sesshomaru. Everything points to it."

Sesshomaru growled, tossing the flea from his shoulder. "I am connected to no human."

"Lord Sesshomaru! Wait!" Myoga tried to catch up, but Sesshomaru used his cloud, flying away before he could get to him. "My Lord, you are making a terrible mistake," Myoga muttered, deciding he had best check on Master Inuyasha's group. If the Hana had been taken away, Kagome would not be doing well.

()

"Think about it, Sango. The Hana even matches the mark on Sesshomaru's face. I think it's highly likely."

"But they have nothing in common." Sango sighed, watching Kagome sleep. She hadn't woken up yet, and it was almost noon. Inuyasha had left, annoyed that she was still sick, and told them to call for him when she woke up. Sango wanted to smack him for his lack of concern. Kagome was like a sister to her, and she wanted to protect her. "And he's tried to kill her!"

"That may be, but Sesshomaru can't be completely emotionless. He has that little girl, Rin. She's a human, firstly, and he claims to hate humans. She is also an orphan, and a poor villager. She wasn't a princess or someone he could use to gain power, money, or land. Why, then, would he take her in?"

"I . . . I don't know," Sango admitted. "Maybe he's not a terrible monster, but he has fought with us on many occasions. And he still despises humans, even if he's taken fancy to one. He would certainly never mate with one. And I don't think Kagome would mate with him, either."

"Mama can't be his mate." Shippo shifted, watching Kagome. "She said herself that she wished he would quit attacking. She doesn't like what he does to us."

"That may be, Shippo, but everything points to it. At the moment, I'm wondering what will happen, because Sesshomaru has the Hana."

"What do you mean?" Shippo's round, worried eyes made him look younger than his years.

"I had heard that a female that found the Hana was supposed to keep it at all times, though I cannot remember why."

"Kagome isn't even a female youkai," Sango said, brushing hair from Kagome's sleeping face. "Didn't you say it has always been female _youkai_ who finds the flower?"

"True." Miroku scratched his head. "The history of the Hana no Shukumei states that it is always a female youkai that finds the flower, and that it helps her find who her mate should be."

"That may be, Miroku, but I have one case in which this is not true." The voice came from beyond the camp. Shippo sniffed the air.

"Myoga!" he announced, looking in the direction of his scent. Myoga burst from the trees, springing onto a large rock in order to be seen by everyone. "It's been a long time." Shippo smiled.

"Indeed it has. But I am here on important business. Miroku, you are incorrect in your statement about the Hana." Myoga did not waste time getting down to business.

"You know of the Hana no Shukumei?"

Myoga nodded. "Yes, I have close personal ties with the Hana. And I can tell you that there is one case of the Hana being found by a human woman. You see, Master Inuyasha's mother is the only known human to have found the Hana."

Everyone looked at Myoga as if he were crazy.

"Inuyasha's mother?" Sango asked. "Are you serious?"

"Very. His mother found the Hana, and mated with Inuyasha's father. The Hana is a powerful thing, said to be created by the Gods in order to move Fate in the way that they wish."

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I am glad you asked, Miroku. The Hana is not merely a device that brings lovers together. It is something used to help bring needed people into this world, or to bring together two people who would otherwise not mate, and must be together to do something great. Inuyasha brought all of you together, and you are working to defeat Naraku, yes?"

"Uh, yes," Sango said.

"That could not have happened if Inuyasha's parents had not been brought together. It is my belief that you five are destined to defeat Naraku. The Hana ensured that Inuyasha would be born for that. And just as Inuyasha was born as a result of the Hana, I think that Kagome and Sesshomaru's union will lead to something great. Something that could not happen if they were to mate other people."

"You are saying that they must mate for the good of the world?"

"Yes, Miroku. And at this point, now that Kagome has taken possession of the Hana, having it away from her is a very dangerous thing. Kagome could die."

"What?" The voice was hoarse, and the group turned to see Kagome sitting up.

"Kagome!" Sango moved close to her. "How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to know that you think I'm supposed to mate Sesshomaru, and that I could die." She turned to Myoga. "What does that mean?"

"Oh, dear." Myoga sighed. "It is a good thing that you are feeling better. But, Kagome, the reason you are sick is because the Hana no Shukumei has been taken away from you. The Hana is not supposed to leave the female owner once she has found it. If it stays away from you for too long, there is a chance that you may die."

"But we don't even know if it _is_ the Hana!" Sango's outburst made everyone turn their heads. "Look, Sesshomaru has never shown the slightest interest in Kagome. He hates almost all humans, and a youkai killing miko certainly won't top his list of favorites. No offense to you, Kagome," she said, smiling apologetically. "I know you only kill evil youkai. But still, I can't see any way they would become mates. It's too unbelievable."

"Sango, I understand your concern for Miss Kagome." Myoga jumped to her shoulder. "As I said before, the Hana is meant to bring together people who would normally not meet, for a higher purpose."

"So I have to mate with Sesshomaru, no matter what?" Kagome coughed, disgusting phlegm spewing from her mouth. She grabbed a tissue from her bag to wipe it up.

"Miss Kagome, understand that the people brought together by the Hana are well matched. They fall in love. They live together as normal mates would, and they care for each other. You are not being matched with someone you would not love."

"Perhaps, but Sango is right when she says it's unbelievable." Kagome coughed again. "This is sorta hard for me to take in. Can we just focus on getting the flower back? If I need to have it to live, then that seems like a priority." Suddenly she looked very tired. Sango put a hand on her back. Having all of this pushed on her must have been hard.

"Yes, Kagome. We'll try to do that right away."

()

Hi, everyone, it's Mattaki. I hope you like this chapter. I know, it's short. I sorta don't have a lot of time right now for writing. I'm graduating high school early, so I need to study to take the SAT exam in June. Which means writing time is short. Still, I'm going to do my best to keep the chapters going each week.

Sesshomaru doesn't seem to respect Myoga much, ha ha. And poor Kagome, suddenly thrown into the dating game without so much as a warning.

Once again, I hope you guys liked this chapter. Please review! I really love getting reviews and hearing what you guys think. I know I'm not a professional writer or anything, but I am working hard to improve. Thanks so much for reading! Ja ne!


	7. The Transformation

"Sesshomaru! Get out here, ya bastard!" Inuyasha crashed through the trees, swinging Tetsusaiga and snarling viciously.

"As if he really cares about Kagome," Miroku muttered, shifting his weight.

"Watch it!" Shippo complained. He was in his large, bulbous pink form, carrying Sango and Miroku while Kagome rested on Kirara. The poor miko looked even worse than the day before, pale and coughing. Her health had deteriorated faster than expected.

"I suppose I can understand why Inuyasha would want to keep Kagome alive," Sango said, "but they're the wrong reasons. What happened to the hanyou who cared about her?"

"He found a different, deader miko to love," Shippo grumbled.

"Yes, he certainly did." Miroku watched Inuyasha carefully. The hanyou had caught wind of Sesshomaru's scent, and was following it in order to retrieve the Hana no Shukumei and keep Kagome alive so that she might continue detecting jewel shards for them. Miroku wasn't about to argue with him about his motives. It would only slow their tracking of Sesshomaru.

But it wasn't as if the youkai lord was trying to stay hidden. Miroku knew that any youkai powerful enough could hide their scent, just as he was sure Naraku was doing. The only time they found Naraku was when he wanted to be found. And Sesshomaru obviously didn't care enough about any threats to hide himself or his companions.

"Give back that damn rose!" Inuyasha was still blind to the purpose of the rose. Miroku had told the group not to tell him about it. Something told him that, no matter how little he appeared to care about Kagome, he would not be happy about her apparently being connected to his hated older brother. The only thing he knew was what Myoga had told him, that the rose was powerful, and tied with Kagome in a way that made her sick when it was away from her.

Of course, with all the beckoning from Inuyasha, it was hard for Sesshomaru not to hear it. Allowing Rin to rest in a clearing, he heard the commotion from a mile away. "And now that bumpkin is calling for trouble," he said, motioning for Jaken to stay put.

Inuyasha burst through the trees, still growling and swinging his sword like a maniac. "It would do you better to appear civilized," Sesshomaru said, preparing himself to use his poison whip, though he doubted it would be necessary.

"Give me the rose, Sesshomaru!"

"Ah, this." Sesshomaru pulled it from his clothes. The speech from Myoga had not moved him any. Despite the evidence, he refused to believe he was mated to a human. The only human he liked was Rin, and that was, he thoroughly believed, due to the fact that she was too young to learn the naïve and flawed ways of most humans. "Why do you need it?"

"Because not having it is making Kagome sick, and she needs to stay alive." The group came up behind him, Shippo switching to normal form as Miroku and Sango hopped off. Kagome moaned on Kirara's back.

Sesshomaru eyed the miko. She was curled into herself, clutching her stomach and pressing her legs against her chest. "What happens to the miko is of no concern to myself."

"Sesshomaru." Kagome coughed, slipping down from Kirara on shaky legs. "Please." Her eyes begged him, as she moved closer. Sesshomaru stepped back. Inuyasha put himself between them, growling.

"Don't you dare get close to him," he snapped. Kagome frowned, and pushed him aside. Even in her weak state, she would not show any fear.

"Sesshomaru," she said again, "I know we don't get along. And I know you want to kill Inuyasha. But we really need that rose." She coughed, nearly stumbling. When she stabilized herself, she looked him in the eye. "I saved Rin's life. Normally, I wouldn't use something like that for bargaining. However, I think you owe us this. A life for a life. I realize that the rose may be of interest to you, and I apologize for wanting it back. But it was ours first, and I know someone as honorable as you would honor a life debt that is owed."

The youkai lord considered her words, looking her over. Even while severely ill, the miko was willing to stand up to him. Though he would never admit it, that said something of her character to him.

"It would be wise to follow her words, Lord Sesshomaru."

Myoga popped up, sitting comfortably on Sesshomaru's shoulder. The group seemed mildly surprised, but not shocked, considering Myoga's regular dealings with the Inu no Taishou, and now his sons. "She speaks the truth," he added. "I saw the rescue of Rin. You owe them a life."

"Typical, watching from the sidelines without offering help," Inuyasha scoffed.

"Quiet." Sesshomaru peered at Kagome again. "The flea is correct. And," he said, twiddling the rose between his fingers, "I only took the rose to vex you, hanyou."

_**You know that is not true.**_

Ignoring his inner youkai, Sesshomaru held the rose out to the miko. Kagome smiled, bowing gratefully. "Thank you, Sesshomaru. We appreciate this." She reached for the Hana.

White heat, blinding light. Kagome shrieked, shielding her eyes from the explosion. Sesshomaru launched himself back, taking the flea with him. Inuyasha leaped aside, snarling in confusion and anger.

The light died quickly, leaving the group members in bewilderment.

"What the heck was that?" Shippo stood, shaking slightly. Sango picked him up, holding a smaller Kirara with her other arm, and cuddling them both. Miroku scanned the area.

"Some sort of explosion," he muttered.

"Hn." Sesshomaru did not feel any worse for the wear, although the flea had vanished from the apparent danger.

"Ugh, my head." Kagome stood, trying to see past the settling dust. She was surprised to find that she felt much better than before, with stable legs and no upset stomach, but the center of her forehead stung, and her ears felt odd. "What _was _that?"

Sesshomaru, having no more interest in this, and deciding it was better to be rid of the annoying flower rather than try to figure it out. He turned to leave, when something caught his attention.

The miko brushed her hair away, feeling for any damage. What Sesshomaru saw shocked him, enough for his brows to raise in his normally stoic expression. In a flash he was at her side, grabbing her wrist and pushing her bangs from her face.

"Hey! Sesshomaru!" Kagome tried to pull away, but the youkai lord was far too strong, forcing her to remain still.

"Let her go!" Inuyasha rushed toward his brother. Sesshomaru paused, releasing his hand from the miko's head to flash his poison whip. The whip slashed into Inuyasha's chest, flinging him back and smashing his body into a tree.

Sango set Kirara and Shippo down and took her Hiraikotsu in hand, changing to a battle stance.

"Hold your weapon, youkai slayer," Sesshomaru said calmly, unsurprised by their defensive reaction. Inuyasha stood, grumbling something to himself, and staring daggers at his brother. Usually he wasn't beaten that badly in just one move from his brother, and without admitting it, he knew that it meant his brother was holding back during their battles. He was too focused on something else to bother toying with him now.

That something else was Kagome, at the moment. She tried to reach for her arrows, loosed from around her back in the explosion, but Sesshomaru quickly snatched her hand and placed it into his right, trapping her. "Sesshomaru, please let me go," she said, trying to imbue her voice with both confidence and politeness. She respected the lord for his power, despite his trying to kill her several times, and did not wish to get on his bad side. She was well aware that by now, he had learned thoroughly of Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga, and what he could do with it; if he wanted to kill her, it would no longer pose a problem to get around the abilities of his father's sword.

"Miko, you know not of what has happened to you. I suggest your friends take a look." With that, he used his free hand to lift her bangs once more, and turned her towards the group.

"Whoa."

"Kagome, it's . . ."

"Mama!"

"Holy shit," Inuyasha mumbled, still gripping his healing wound. Sesshomaru's whip obviously had more force than actual poison in it on this particular use, because his hanyou powers were already healing the shallow cut across his chest. The pain was easy to ignore, the inu much more focused on Kagome.

"What? Is it something on my forehead? It sorta hurts," she mumbled, shifting. Sesshomaru released her, unhappy about touching a human, and wiped his hands on his haori. Kagome rubbed her wrists, nodding gratefully, before facing her friends. Sesshomaru did not move from her side, giving her an odd look of his normal stoicism mixed with what she thought was a dab of curiosity.

"Ehem." Miroku cleared his throat, preparing himself to deliver the news to her. "Ah, Kagome, it appears you would have a . . . mark, on your forehead. I believe it may have been caused by the explosion." Miroku was more than aware that the work done by the Hana was mysterious, indeed, and simply because this was new did not mean that the rose was not behind it. He scanned the area for it. "You may also want to retrieve the rose."

Kagome saw where he was pointing, and, momentarily distracted, took the Hana from where it lay, brushing dirt off it. "Thank you, Miroku, but what does it have to do . . .?" Realization hit Kagome. The explosion had occurred the moment she and Sesshomaru both touched the rose.

"So we _are_ connected," she whispered, still having trouble absorbing the information. "Wait, I need a mirror. What's wrong with my head? A mark?" Miroku's words came back to her, and she snatched up her bag to find her compact case. Opening the purple object that she knew contained a mirror, along with a little make up that she no longer found useful in the feudal age, Kagome took a look at herself.

"Oh, my God!" The compact fell, but she hurriedly grabbed it again and inspected the mark closer. On her forehead, in dark blue/purple, was the same crescent mark that Sesshomaru, the lord of the west and the youkai she had never thought she would associate closely with, had on _his_ face. "This is not something I expected." She sighed, looking to Miroku. "What do we do?"

"You smell different," Inuyasha interjected. "Weird. And . . . familiar," he decided, wrinkling his nose.

"Of course it's familiar, it's Mama! She-" Shippo stopped. Stepping closer to Kagome, he sniffed her. "He's right, Mama. You smell different. But the different part smells like something I know." He sniffed her again. "It smells like-"

"An inu youkai." Sesshomaru growled to himself, slowly realizing the complications this would no doubt lead to. "She has the scent of a female inu."

"I coulda told her that," his brother snarled. Sesshomaru ignored him. There was no use paying attention to him.

"An inu?" Kagome observed herself in the mirror again. Remembering the classic traits of an inu, she hesitantly reached for her hair. All of this was a bit overwhelming. She had gone from hunting Naraku, to sick and confused about a strange flower that she now held in the hand with the mirror, to connected to one of the most powerful youkai in the land. Touching her hair, she pulled it back, revealing her right ear.

It was pointed. Just like Sesshomaru's.

"My goodness." She touched the tip of it. It felt strange. Now, almost frantically, she opened her mouth to inspect her teeth. Her normally blunt human canines were razor sharp. She checked her eyes. They were still crystal blue, as always. She breathed a tiny sigh of relief. The miko had been afraid they would change to shining gold.

"Kagome?" Sango sat by her, rubbing her back. "Are you all right?"

"I . . . I don't know." Kagome stood, tossing the compact and observing the rose. "I'm a youkai. A youkai. A miko as a youkai, it's just . . . weird, and I'm not sure how to react."

"It would only be natural to be confused, Miss Kagome."

Once again, Myoga cropped up from out of the blue. Inuyasha glared, tired of his hiding tactics. "You better have a good excuse for what's happening. If Kagome loses her powers because of this, I'm taking it out on you, with your stupid flower talk."

Myoga brushed off the threat, turning to Kagome. "I have only heard tales of this type of thing, but I will tell you what I know." He peered at Sesshomaru. "My lord, I would have expected you to lose interest in the matters of your brother," he teased.

"Flea, do not tempt me." Sesshomaru flexed a claw.

Myoga took the hint, looking back to Kagome. "Allow me to explain, as best I can. Because Inuyasha's father was involved with the Hana no Shukumei, I learned much about it. The only human known to have the Hana was Inuyasha's mother, mating to Sesshomaru's father. But, like father like son, I suppose." Myoga laughed at his own joke, but no one else seemed amused. "Yes, well," Myoga cleared his throat, "I should get to the chase. Because the Inu no Taishou mated with a human, he wished me to learn about other matings between youkai and humans. He wanted to take every step to make sure his mate was happy. In my research, I had heard of cases similar to Kagome's, though not involving the Hana. That is, a miko trying to mate with a youkai."

"This Sesshomaru has no human mate."

"Shush." Myoga waved his hand at the lord, showing more bravery and defiance than was normal, only because he was sure Kagome or someone else would not let his lordship get away with killing him. "As I was saying, the times I have heard of a miko mating with a youkai, it has ended badly. A miko's powers naturally try to reject youkai. When they mate, the youkai is often injured or killed. The powers of a miko will simply not stand for such a union."

"I see." Kagome took Myoga into her palm. "And this explains my situation because?"

"I cannot be sure, for I have never seen or heard of this exact situation, but I believe that your body, with the help of the Hana, has changed to adapt to the circumstances. The Hana has forced you to change into the only form that will allow your miko soul to mate with a youkai. You yourself are now a youkai, and therefore should be compatible with Lord Sesshomaru."

"Wait, mate? What the hell? I never heard of Kagome mating with anybody," Inuyasha objected.

"It is the purpose of the Hana, Inuyasha," Miroku said. "To connect mates that would otherwise not be together. I will explain more later."

Inuyasha seemed unsatisfied, but took the short explanation anyway.

Kagome sat in silence for a minute. "I . . ." She hesitated. "I'm a youkai. And a miko. So that I can mate with a youkai, without blowing him up?"

"I think so," Myoga nodded.

"This Sesshomaru has _no_ miko for a mate. Nor a former human." He shifted the tiniest inch, not enough for Sango or Miroku to notice, but Inuyasha saw it. Kagome saw it as well, her new youkai abilities already working at top capacity to catch the sliver of movement.

"Sesshomaru." She stood. "I know this isn't an ideal thing. I'm certainly not interested in mating with you, no offense. I didn't plan on mating anyone for a while." Kagome took a deep breath. "I'm not really sure about any of this."

"Hn." Sesshomaru scrutinized her, especially the mark on her forehead, partially hidden by her mussed bangs. It was his family's mark. He could no longer deny that this miko was, indeed, connected to him. This displeased him immensely.

()

Hi! I hope you guys like the new chapter! This one is a bit longer than usual, since I had some more time to write. So, this chapter had a big happening. Not every day that your average miko transforms into a youkai. And both Inu brothers will get pissed, let me tell you.

I'll update next week, and I'll keep trying to make the chapters a bit longer than they've been lately. It's hard to write during the school year. And please review! It inspires me to write more! Review review review, please! Thank you so much for reading, everybody. Ja ne!


	8. The Switch

Chapter eight, you guys! Enjoy :)

()

"What do we do now?" Sango looked to her fiancé for help, but Miroku simply shook his head.

"I have no idea, Sango." He sighed, peering at Kagome. She was glancing between her friends and Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru himself seemed not to show any interest.

"I can't very well leave you guys," Kagome said. "I mean, we've been together so long, and Sesshomaru certainly won't want me around." She turned to Sesshomaru. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to talk about you as if you weren't here."

Sesshomaru did not look at the miko. He was too busy thinking to himself.

He hated humans. He always had, with Rin as the only exception. And despite the fact that the miko had been changed into a youkai by forces outside her control, she still possessed a narrow human mind. He did not like sudden, unplanned changes, and silently growled to himself.

_**Aw, puppy can't deal with a new owner? **_His inner youkai laughed at him. Sesshomaru wished it were an actual entity, rather than a section of his mind, so he could punch it.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Inuyasha objected. "I don't understand why Kagome has this flower in the first place!"

Sesshomaru watched while his annoying pest of a brother was given a thorough explanation of the Hana no Shukumei. He only partially listened, mostly focused on his own situation.

The miko now possessed a symbol of his family, the type of symbol that only the most powerful youkai families had. The symbol was to mark her under his watch. No male was to touch her while she bore it.

Sesshomaru did not wish her to be under his watch. However, at this point, he did not have a choice. They had both been forced into this by that blasted flower, and, unlike his brother, Sesshomaru was not about to run away from his problems.

"-not going to let her mate him! I hate that bastard, and we need her for shards!"

He wished his brother would shut up.

Sesshomaru risked a glance at the miko's mark. The deep Prussian blue shimmered underneath her bangs, as she turned to face him. It seemed her youkai abilities were already working. She knew he was looking at her, though he had barely moved his head in her direction. She tried to smile, but it was forced and awkward.

"I don't care if that stupid flower has the power of the fucking Gods!" Inuyasha continued to yell. Sesshomaru tuned him out.

The mark was normally placed upon the female by the male, when the Mating Dance was initiated. The female would then be bound to the male by that mark, until she either accepted or rejected him. Usually, she would gain the mark only after accepting the offer for a mating. The miko seemed to be a special case, gaining her mark beforehand. Rather than Sesshomaru placing a small bit of his youki in her, and thus creating the mark, the Hana had done so for him.

A lesser youkai would kill her, or run away, as his brother might. Sesshomaru was not about to run from this. Sesshomaru sought to always do the opposite of his offending brother. Although, at this moment, he suspected that the opposite of Inuyasha's reaction was exactly what he did not want to do.

Sesshomaru stepped toward the miko, drawing the attention away from the argument his brother insisted upon the humans. "Miko," he said, addressing Kagome. She looked up to him. She was a fair bit shorter, but her stance was confident.

"It has come to this Sesshomaru's attention that you have the mark of my family. According to the legal procedures of the youkai lords of this country, I am obligated to perform the Mating Dance with you, until you accept or reject me."

Kagome was bewildered. "Dance?"

Sesshomaru wanted to growl, but kept his composure. She did indeed still have an ignorant human mind. "It is called a dance. It resembles a ceremony of sorts. If you wish to stay with your friends, I suggest you reject my advances now. If you accept them, I will be forced to take you away from here and keep you under my watch."

Kagome turned to her friends. Miroku was stoic. Sango seemed like she might cry. Shippo clutched Sango's skirt, wondering what his mother would do. Inuyasha spat on the ground, mumbling to himself.

"I don't want to leave them," she said, facing the Lord of the West. Sesshomaru nodded in understanding, glad that she would reject him and he could move on, regardless of the supposedly powerful Hana.

"However," she continued. Sesshomaru raised a brow, barely perceptible and noticed by only Inuyasha. "I know that the Hana is a force not to be ignored." She cradled the rose gently. "It turned me into a youkai, for goodness sake! I don't think I should simply pass by on a chance being given by something so significant, no matter how much I may not want the chance." She smiled apologetically, as if she thought it would hurt his feelings for her not to fancy him. Sesshomaru couldn't care less.

"Because of all the things happening, I feel that I should listen to the signs. Everything points to me being your mate, Sesshomaru. And so, I must . . . accept your proposal of a Mating Dance." She said the words with trepidation, but bowed respectfully.

Sesshomaru was a tad stunned. He had assumed the miko would reject him, given the choice, but she seemed smarter than that. He had not counted on her recognizing the power of the Hana. Sesshomaru was too used to assuming the stupidity of humans.

Not willing to take the easy route out, and sure that she would eventually come to hate him, as most people did, Sesshomaru nodded to her. "Very well."

"Hey, wait a-" Inuyasha began, but stopped when Sesshomaru took Kagome's face in his hand, bending down gently. Closing his eyes and pretending she was Rin, he brushed her bangs aside and kissed her forehead, in the center of her mark. The symbol glowed briefly, before dying down. Kagome stood in silence as he drew away.

"Mama!" Shippo ran to her, jumping into her arms. Kagome unfroze, cuddling the kit as he clung to her. He was somewhat big for her to hold now, but she didn't mind. "Mama, I don't want you to go."

"Oh, Shippo." Kagome nuzzled him. To Sesshomaru, she said, "I can't leave Shippo. He's my adopted son. He has to come. And I still need to find the shards, so that Naraku can't get them. I can't abandon my duties just because my life has taken an unexpected turn."

"Hn." Sesshomaru observed the kit. He would make a good playmate for Rin. He appeared to be about the same age. "I am hunting Naraku either way. If you happen to pick up the location of a shard, you may fetch it. I will not be holding them for you."

"Fine." Kagome took the shard case from her backpack, a glass bottle that she had purified to prevent youkai from touching it. Despite her new youkai status, she could handle it without any consequences. "I have this to hold the shards. I am sorry for the inconvenience my shard hunting may pose to you, Sesshomaru, but I hope you understand."

"Simply understand that if your shard hunting becomes obstructive to my goals, I will not tolerate it," was his reply. Kagome nodded. She wouldn't have expected any less from him. "I must be getting back to my associates. Unless you wish to change your mind and reject me, you are required to follow." The youkai lord turned and began walking away.

"Wait!" Sesshomaru halted. "Please, can I have some time to say goodbye?"

"Very well."

Kagome turned toward her friends, unable to think that she was suddenly leaving them. Three years of closeness and adventures welled up inside her, tears beginning to form.

"Don't cry, Kagome." Miroku lifted a hand to her cheek, wiping a tear away in one of the least lecherous acts he had ever done to her. "The Hana decided this, and the forces of the Gods would not pair up two people who would not like each other. You will see the good in Lord Sesshomaru, I promise. And we'll see each other again."

"I know. I just . . . didn't think I would stop traveling with you so soon." She smiled. "Thanks, Miroku. I really appreciate the effort. I'm going to visit, no matter what."

"Yes, you should." Sango placed a hand on her shoulder. "I will miss you, Kagome. You were like a sister to me."

Kagome paused, and put Shippo down. Throwing her arms around her comrade, more tears formed, and she whispered goodbyes into her ear. Sango held tightly to her.

Shippo said his goodbyes as well, trying not to cry, to preserve a manly image. Sango hugged him tight to her, and Kirara rubbed up against him.

"Thank you, everyone. Really." Kagome picked Shippo up again, relishing in the feel of her son in her arms, and thankful that she would be able to stay with him.

Finally, she turned to Inuyasha. He seemed angry, and not at all tearful like the others.

"I ain't letting you go with him," he said, indignant. "He's a bastard, and we need you in this group to-"

"Shush." Kagome put a finger to his lips, touching him more closely than she had in a very long time. It made her heart cringe with her leftover feelings. It would be hard to part from the first man she had ever loved, despite his recent treatment of her. It would take time for that wound to heal. "Inuyasha, you are the reason I met all these lovely people, and I fell in love with you. I will always cherish the time when we shared those feelings, even though you've chosen another woman." Leaning toward him, she gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Inuyasha."

The hanyou blushed profusely, not having received that kind of attention from Kagome after he made his choice of lovers. He mumbled a response and wiped his cheek, as if wiping responsibility from himself. Kagome smiled a little, suddenly given hope that the hanyou might still care for her, at least somewhat.

"Okay," she said, turning to the great youkai lord. "I'm ready to go when you are. Thank you for letting me say goodbye."

"Hn." Sesshomaru made an about-face in the direction of his companions, still sour that he would have to take care of two extra people, and his brother's friends at that. At least Rin would probably like them.

Kagome grabbed her backpack and arrows, and waved one last goodbye, trying to keep her tears at bay. She followed the least likely candidate for her mate into the woods, and away from the life she had known for three long years.

()

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin greeted him with her usual cheer, throwing her arms around his legs and giggling enthusiastically. "Oh!" She noticed Kagome and Shippo trailing behind, uncomfortable in the new setting.

"The hanyou's wench and a fox kit! What are they doing here?" Jaken was none too pleased with the new development, and saw the youkai features on Kagome. "Lord Sesshomaru, I thought she was a miko." His eyes narrowed.

"Miss miko!" Rin hugged Kagome as well, beaming. "Thank you, miss miko! You helped save me when I was in trouble."

Kagome smiled. She adored children, and Rin was cuter than most, despite being around ten or eleven. "You're more than welcome. I was happy to help." She patted her head gently.

"The miko and kit will be traveling with us," Sesshomaru said, as if it would be sufficient explanation. "If you wish to inquire about her, Jaken, I suggest you ask her yourself." The stoic lord then began walking, not bothering to check if they followed.

Ah-Un stood immediately, pausing to allow Rin to climb on his back. "Fox, you can ride with me!" Rin smiled and took Shippo's hand. "I'm Rin."

"Shippo," he supplied, happy to have someone around his age to talk to. Chatter between them began flowing. Kagome checked her backpack for security before trotting to catch up.

Ah-Un sniffed Kagome as she walked beside him, her scent both familiar and unfamiliar. She looked different, as well, and he quickly noticed her new youkai features. Kagome flashed a grin, petting the dragon. "Hi there, big boy."

"His name is Ah-Un," Rin told her, before turning back to Shippo. Kagome continued to pet him as she walked, happy to have something close to the youkai pet that Kirara had been.

Thinking about Kirara made her think about the rest of them, and a pang of sorrow shot through her. It would be tough not to be with them, after so long. She wanted to cry, but she knew she would see them again. And she had to be strong for Shippo. She couldn't let her son see her crying all the time. She was a miko, hunting Naraku. The upheavals in her life had to take a back seat.

Sesshomaru turned the situation over in his head. The miko -Kagome- would be traveling with him now. Clearly, with her arrows and miko skills, she would be able to handle herself in battle. However, her hunt for jewel shards would slow his progress toward Naraku. He might not tolerate it, if it didn't also mean that Naraku gained less power for every shard she had.

Kagome, for it was tiresome to call her miko constantly, seemed a strong woman, if a little emotional when it came to those she cared about. Sesshomaru could relate to such emotions only through Rin, but it was enough to understand why she might be protective of her kit.

That puzzled him more than anything. She must have adopted the kit while still in her human state, but humans rarely adopted youkai, or vice versa. Either she owed the kit some kind of life debt, which he doubted, considering the kit's age, or she simply cared for him a great deal. He would have to make sure the kit stayed safe.

_But what does that matter to myself? _Sesshomaru thought suddenly. _He is her adopted son. It is not my job to keep him safe. _

_**But it will surely drive Kagome from your side, if he is put in danger. **_

Sesshomaru would certainly not lament the loss of his inner youkai, if it ever decided to go away. _I do not care if that woman leaves. I am only keeping her here because she accepted the offer for a Mating Dance, which was not my choice to begin with. It would reflect badly on my status among the other youkai lords to turn her away. _

_**As if you really care about that. Admit it, you're just curious to see if she's actually a match for you. You couldn't have less in common, after all. **_

_ Silence, _Sesshomaru commanded. When his youkai did not respond, he continued his thoughts to himself, though he was sure his youkai would chime in once more if it wished to.

Whether he cared for her kit or not, he could hear from the chatter that Rin was quickly becoming attached to him. She had never had such a friend before, and for that, he would keep the kit safe.

He wondered about the Mating Dance, and if he should try to go through with it. If he simply ignored her, Kagome might become frustrated and leave of her own accord. Of course, an incomplete Mating Dance would also reflect badly on him, regardless of whose decision it was to end it. His father had failed to complete a Mating Dance with his own mother, and his reputation was further smirched when he mated with a human. Inuyasha's mother had not gained the mark of his father's family because she was human, but the Mating Dance had been much more successful than with his father's previous mate.

Either way, he was stuck with the miko, and there was no way out, unless he wished to disgrace himself. Sesshomaru clenched his claws into his palm, slicing skin that immediately healed. He had planned to take a woman after the Naraku issue was solved, and that woman was going to be the daughter of one of the youkai nobles. A woman with strong ancestry and political ties that he could use to his advantage. Not some ragamuffin miko that had turned into a youkai due to some strange plant.

Peering back at her, Sesshomaru saw that the miko was fingering the rose. It matched his family mark perfectly, and the rose was a common symbol of love and close affection. Upon hearing Myoga's news, concerning his father and the same flower, he had put it upon Jaken to learn more about it. However, the imp was slow going with such research, as books were hard to come by on the road. He would be sure to punch him for it later.

For now, he would have to learn what he could from his own situation.

()

Kagome sighed, wondering how boring this could get.

They had been walking for hours, and the sun was close to descending in the sky. Rin and Shippo were tired, and had gone to sleep on Ah-Un's back. The dragon walked smoothly enough that they did not fall, but Kagome kept a close eye, just in case. Jaken didn't talk, and didn't seem inclined to make any conversation with her. Kagome was left alone.

The rose was resting safely in its case, hopefully not wilting. It had not shown to be prone to dying yet, but Kagome still felt uncomfortable leaving it in that box. She took it out every fifteen minutes or so to check on it. The side pocket of her backpack was easily accessible for that purpose.

She could always try to talk with Sesshomaru, but the youkai lord was unapproachable in her eyes. She had a hard time trying to disturb his stoic form, let alone trying to talk to him as if they were friends. He was cold, alone. Someone like that did not appeal to her.

But she had to try, didn't she? _He is my mate, after all. Or so says the Hana, _Kagome thought. _I still don't understand how we could be matched up in such a way. _

He was asocial. She was friendly. He did not do something unless it would benefit him, and she helped anyone she could. He was a youkai, and she was a miko. Granted, she was a youkai as well, but it did not bridge the gap between them. He was the cold night, and she the bright sunshine. It was hard to see herself with him.

Of course, Inuyasha was fairly different from her as well, and she had fallen for him. He hadn't been too keen on helping others when they first met. He was violent, crude, and stubborn as a mule. And yet she had fallen for him, and he had fallen for her, for a short time. Before he had decided on Kikyo and everything had gone awry.

She could hardly blame Kikyo for it. The only reason Kikyo had passed away and left Inuyasha's life in the first place was because of Naraku. If not for him, they probably would have married and had children. The thought made Kagome's heart clench. It was hard to give up someone you loved.

_Maybe I can use this, _Kagome thought. _I'm away from Inuyasha for the first time in a long while. Perhaps I can finally get over him, now that I don't have to see him every day. _Thinking on the bright side was her specialty, and this thought made her feel a little better. There was a silver lining to everything, it seemed.

As she moved away from sorrowful reminders, Kagome become bored once more, and did the only thing she loved to do when there was nothing else to occupy herself with. Without truly thinking about it, she opened her mouth, starting softly.

"Somewhere in this city, surely,

Someone is meeting someone else,

Every day is programmed,

So that the plot never changes.

"If you listen, you can hear the voice

That opens the world's door.

This beautiful day was not in the weather report,

It's a never before seen combination

And you send the waves of telepathy to me.

"A beautiful day gets made,

By the frequent meetings with you.

There is a miracle waiting for us,

So let's start walking right away."

The song filled the clearing with sound, reverberating off the trees and intensifying. Kagome gained volume as she became more confident in the lyrics, waking the children and drawing the attention of the others.

Sesshomaru paused slightly at the sound. He had heard women sing before, but the miko's voice was one of the more talented. Though some of the words she sang were unfamiliar, they were melodious all the same.

"Miko."

Kagome halted, her last note sticking in her throat. Sesshomaru was staring at her.

"Oh, I . . ." She gulped. "Um, I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was being so loud. The music got away from me, I guess. I didn't mean to bother you." She blushed red from embarrassment. "I was bored, so I just started singing. My friends didn't mind it when I sang."

"It was pretty, Mama!" Shippo smiled. Rin nodded, clapping encouragement.

"Thanks." Kagome smiled a little, but felt the eyes of Sesshomaru delve into her. "I can stop singing, if you want." She wasn't sure what made her feel the need to obey and accommodate the youkai lord, because it made her feel spineless. Maybe those eyes of his were enough to make her do whatever he wanted. He was used to getting his way, after all.

"Hn. Do as you wish." Without another word, Sesshomaru began walking once more. Kagome hesitated, but followed, as did the rest of the group. Shippo and Rin's chatter began once more, now that they had awoken, and she decided it best not to sing. It was one of her secret passions, but getting on the lord's bad side was not a good idea, especially if she wanted to get closer and find out if they were truly compatible.

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Hi, everyone. So, this is chapter eight, and Kagome is finally traveling with Sesshomaru. Things are sure to get exciting from here!

And because I was bored, I'm deciding to have a contest, with a nice prize. The lyrics that Kagome sang are ones from a song that I've taken to recently. The first person to review and correctly guess the song title will be able to make a request for an event you wish to happen in the story, as long as that event doesn't change the storyline. Review and tell me what you think the song is, and I'll let the winner know who they are so they can make their request. Have fun with it :) Hint: It's the English version of a vocaloid song.

I'll try to keep making the chapters longer, if I can, and once summer comes, I'll write much more. Thanks for reading, and please review! I love getting reviews! And for now, ja ne!


	9. The Bath

japanesegirl101 won the contest! Make sure to message me for the request, JG101 :) Also, I am sorry for the shortness, but SAT prep has sucked my time away.

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"I'm going to take a bath." Kagome turned to Sesshomaru, who was resting after a long day's walk. She doubted he was as tired as everyone else, but his closed eyes gave a different impression.

"Miko, you do not smell foul enough for a bath," he said, though his tone carried no hint of being interested.

Kagome sighed, wishing she did not have to go through explaining this again. Three years of traveling, and her friends still did not fully understand the need to bathe whenever possible."Where I come from, people bathe every day, including myself. Shippo smelled a hot spring nearby, so I thought it would be good to tell you where I was going before I left."

"I could track you by scent if it came to it. Think before you tell me unnecessary things."

Kagome huffed, opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it, and walked toward the hot spring. Sesshomaru seemed about as rude as Inuyasha, only with more class.

She spent the first ten minutes of the bath angry, but as the water soaked into her skin, she relaxed. It had been some time since her last bath. She wasn't about to waste it brooding. The hot liquid soothed her muscles. Her hair felt better than it had in days.

The alone time also gave her an excuse to think. No children chattering or focus on finding possible shards to distract her. Her rhythmic scrubbing slowed, her lids lowering.

She was the mate of Sesshomaru. Perhaps not officially, but she was as good as committed. He had even kissed her forehead, on the new mark that told everyone who she belonged to. She wasn't sure why he had done so, but assumed it was some cultural thing. He wouldn't do so willingly. He probably hated her more than any other female. Up until now, she was his brother's wench, and a miko. Enemy of all youkai that went against her. He would not warm up to her easily, if at all.

Thinking about it only depressed her. She tried to focus on bathing herself again, rubbing soap all over herself, before dunking underwater to wash it away, and surround herself with soothing heat.

()

He grew more irritated by the minute. That woman had insisted on taking a bath when she smelled perfectly acceptable, at least among human standards, and it seemed she refused to return.

"I _told _you that she likes long baths." Shippo was facing Rin, but it was clear who he was addressing. The kit had warned him of her lengthy baths shortly after she left. Sesshomaru ignored him. He refused to take advice from one so young. Regardless, he still held a distaste for long baths. Rin would only take minutes with hers, when Ah-Un took her to a spring. There was no reason for the miko to linger.

But what did he truly care? They had set up camp for the night. Dinner had been eaten. If she wished to take a long time and have less time for sleeping, let her. It would not be of consequence to him.

"Lord Sesshomaru, when will Kagome be back?" Typical of her curious nature, Rin was asking him something he could not answer. Sesshomaru turned to her.

"I have no control over how long she bathes, Rin. You heard the kit."

"But it's late." Rin frowned. "I'm worried that she might be hurt. Can't Ah-Un check on her?"

He sighed. Her concern over others would be a burden someday, he was sure. "I will do so." Sesshomaru stood. "Guard them, Ah-Un."

"Wait! Mama never liked it when Inuyasha tried to get her from the bath, and I don't think-"

Sesshomaru glared at the kit. "Do not speak that name."

Shippo shrunk back, and didn't say anything when Sesshomaru continued toward the hot spring.

". . . and I know, you will always be beside me, listening to every word . . ."

The song of the miko trailed to his ears, filling him with the sweet sound. He would not admit it to her, but her voice was pleasing. She was better than most of the entertainers that came by for the castle galas to provide music.

_As if I should care about music. _He was not one to be easily swayed by sounds.

"You'll always be the one to hear my song, my sweet-" The song stopped suddenly. Sesshomaru paused at the edge of the hot spring, Kagome's scent barely detectable among the steam. "Stupid Inuyasha," he heard her say. "Why can't I stop thinking about him? Ugh."

Sesshomaru smelled salt, and heard soft cries coming from her. "Miko."

The cries stopped. "Sesshomaru? What are you doing here?"

"You should have smelled me. Are you not a youkai?"

"I'm not used to it," she snapped. "Oh, sorry," she said, correcting her tone. "I'm just a little on edge. Wait, can you see me?" There were splashes. Sesshomaru guessed she was covering herself.

"I cannot see you past the steam, miko. And I am not looking toward your direction. I came to tell you that your bath is too long. The kit is worried."

"Shippo knows I like long bathes."

Sesshomaru paused. "Finish your bath, miko," he said, turning to leave.

"His heart was cold, but his words held true. The path to my heart is paved with you." The short melody rang loud, the sound echoing off the trees after it stopped. She giggled when she heard him stop. He growled. She was mocking him with music.

"Why do you sing?" The question came out before he could stop it, and Sesshomaru mentally cursed at himself. He had no interest in the miko or her songs. _**Says you,**_ his inner youkai chuckled.

"Because music makes me feel better," was her simple answer. He stayed a moment longer, but she didn't say anything else. Reminding himself not to take further interest in her, Sesshomaru returned to camp.

()

"Inuyasha, we have to leave." Sango put her foot to the sand, ready to smack the hanyou.

"Leave me alone!" he snapped, turning his back to her. "I haven't seen Kikyo in a while."

"I thought we were on Naraku's trail," she complained. "You said yourself that you had found his scent lingering. And you suddenly stop to visit Kikyo?"

"I was on his trail as well," Kikyo said. She peered at Sango, and down the edges of the beach. "I notice that my reincarnation is not with you."

Sango shifted, looking behind her to Miroku, who waited on Kirara's back. "There were some complications."

"Meaning she gave our shard detector to my bastard of a brother." Inuyasha scoffed. "That's why I stopped trailing Naraku. Kikyo detects shards too, and I bet she does a better job of it."

"That's crap!" Sango fumed. "You just wanted to be with her, and you didn't think about her helping us with shards until just now. You're just selfish and want to spend all your time with her instead of us!"

"That ain't true," he snarled.

"Inuyasha, calm yourself." Kikyo put an arm on his shoulder. "Tell me, youkai slayer," she said to Sango, "where has my reincarnation gone?"

"She's with the Lord of the West." Saying the words still upset Sango slightly. The past few days without her had been hard to get used to. "Because of the Hana no Shukumei."

"Hana no Shukumei?" Kikyo's eyebrows raised, and she smiled. "She must be with her destined mate, then. I am happy for her." Since Inuyasha had proclaimed his love for her, Kikyo had felt badly about her reincarnation losing love. It made her feel better for her to have a mate.

"Happy? She's with my bastard of a brother!"

Kikyo frowned. "Inuyasha, I have learned about the Hana. It only pairs those that would be happiest together. If my assumptions are correct, she is your friend. Do you not want the best for her?"

"Not if it involves my brother! That bastard has spent his entire life trying to kill me. And he tried to kill Kagome too! The only reason she went with him was because she thought she _had_ to."

"Calm down," Kikyo urged, touching his shoulder. Inuyasha shook her off, growling.

"That bitch betrayed us. She was supposed to stay and help us finish the jewel, and now she's run off with _him._" Inuyasha could feel his blood boiling. The anger he had felt after Kagome left had been contained, directed toward hunting and finding Naraku. Thinking about it, he growled. His claws burned with the need to damage. "She betrayed us," he repeated.

"Inuyasha." Sango put her hands up.

"This is not a solution." Miroku, seeing the conflict, rushed to Sango's side. The hanyou glared at him. "Inuyasha, settle down."

"Why? Why should I? That bitch chose my brother over us!" His eyes were leaking red now, the blue stripes on his face plainly visible to all. Kirara growled, the flames on her hackles rising.

"You were treating her like crap!" Sango said. "You didn't even like her anymore!"

"That's what you think!" he snarled. "I was trying to distance myself from her! Choosing Kikyo over Kagome was one of the hardest things I ever did! I was trying to _stop_ liking her, so I could focus on Kikyo. I was bullshitting it, okay?" His claws began to glow, yellow with his rage.

"Inuyasha, calm yourself!" Kikyo grabbed his arm in desperation.

"Leave me _alone!_"

The tear of cloth and split of clay rang throughout the beach. A short scream, and silence. Only the rush of beach water could be heard.

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Hey, all! Thanks for reading this chapter! :) Once again, the shortness is because I've been busy with SAT prep. I'm taking it a year earlier than I planned to, due to my accelerated graduation, so I'm a little on edge about everything. Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter. Sesshy and Kags are gonna be getting closer in the coming chapters, so get ready! For now, ja ne, and please review!


	10. The Escape

Inuyasha did not think about what he was doing. As far as he was concerned, his life was over.

Kikyo was dead. Kagome was with another man. And he could think of no one else who would dare to love a half-breed. His friends would never take him back. He was a monster, and he knew it.

But at least Miroku and Sango had Kikyo's jewel shards. Kikyo was too smart to keep them on her dead body, giving them to the monk and youkai slayer before passing. The whole scene had only been a few minutes long, but it had been achingly drawn out to him.

_And then I ran away, like a coward, instead of giving her a proper burial. Maybe they'll do that for her, _he hoped. He couldn't go back and look at her. It would be too much.

As he ran, he tried to convince himself that it was for the best. His youkai half had taken over. He could have hurt his friends. It was only right that he got away from them. But his youkai half had faded, and still he ran.

It was a long time before Inuyasha decided to stop. By now, the sounds of the beach, though ringing in his memory, were no longer around him. He was deep in the mountains, and he suddenly recognized the area. It was close to where Koga's pack lived. But he did not smell the wolves.

"Feh, like I wanna deal with them anyway," he said, turning to go away from the caves that might hold more than wolf youkai.

Kikyo's scream rang in his ears. He flattened them against his skull, but that did not stop it. She had sounded so . . . terrified. She had never sounded terrified. She was always strong and brave. And the look on her face as bits of her soul spilled from the clay container . . .

Inuyasha stopped, making sure no one was around. And before he could stop himself, tears began running down his face.

He had lost the first woman he truly loved. It had been hard enough when she trapped him against the God Tree, seeing the look of hatred in her eyes. And how she reacted to him when she was first revived, blaming him for killing her when it was Naraku's fault. She hadn't known that he had loved her, even while she struck him with her arrow. And after thinking he could move past what had happened and be with Kikyo, maybe even bring her body back using the jewel, he couldn't stop thinking about Kagome.

He felt like he was betraying Kikyo every day, seeing Kagome and feeling what he did. It was difficult to choose between them, and he had never truly felt that he only loved one. They were both too good for him, either way.

Absorbed in his grief, Inuyasha did not notice the girl at first. She slowly stepped out of the woods, ears twitching with curiosity. She had heard the sobbing from quite far away, and her heart cringed at seeing the sad hanyou. Brushing her flame red hair back, she crept closer.

"Hello?"

Inuyasha stopped at the sound of the voice.

"Is something the matter?"

He looked up, and saw the young woman before him. Her brow was wrinkled with concern. "I heard you crying. Are you all right?"

He had not noticed her over his own self pity. Quickly drying his eyes and standing, Inuyasha glared at her and prepared to leave.

"You're a hanyou, aren't you?" The woman stepped closer. Inuyasha hesitated, quietly sniffing.

"So are you," he said. The hanyou woman smiled, unashamed of this fact. Dark stripes decorated her cheeks, two on each side, and one on her forehead. Tiger ears poked out of her head, twitching slightly. Inuyasha rarely met other hanyous, and his curiosity won out over his need to be alone.

"I couldn't help noticing you. I apologize for the disturbance, but I was running from some wolves. They caught me in their cave . . ." She looked behind her, suddenly nervous. "I was just so hungry." Her stomach growled, as if to emphasize the point. She yelped, and blushed as she covered her belly.

Inuyasha couldn't help it, chuckling a little. The girl was obviously young and innocent, the way she behaved, but she was also having trouble finding food. It was not in his nature to help any random person coming along, that was Kagome's job, but he needed to get away from the nasty thoughts that didn't want to leave him alone. He needed a distraction.

"Come on. I bet ya I can steal that stupid wolf's food before he can blink."

()

"Ring around the rosy!"

"Pocket full of posy!"

"Ashes, ashes, we all fall-"

"_Down_!"

The two children giggled endlessly, enjoying their new found game. Kagome had taught it to Shippo shortly before finding the Hana, and Shippo, in turn, had taught it to Rin. But their own twist had been put on it.

Jaken grumbled, unhappy but accustomed to his job as baby sitter. Tied to a tree with the two annoyances singing around him was not his ideal situation, but Lord Sesshomaru and the miko had left long ago to find a jewel shard. Jaken failed to see the importance of obtaining such a thing, but the miko had insisted that every shard she had was one less that Naraku had. And Lord Sesshomaru was willing to do what it took to weaken Naraku.

But seeing as Rin was eleven, and Shippo was close to that age physically, if not in actually, as Jaken did not know how fox youkai aged, he made the poor assumption of thinking the children were above such games. He was very wrong.

Bored with running in circles, Rin and Shippo left Jaken tied to the pine tree, sitting around the fire and beginning their endless chatter. Shippo had hung around human girls before, but Rin was especially nice, after spending so much time with youkai. Most human girls would be afraid when he showed them his fox fire tricks, but Rin clapped and urged him to do more.

"Rin! Let me down!" Jaken struggled with the restraints. His Staff of Two Heads was out of reach. Rin smiled back at him.

"But Jaken, you need to be closer with nature!"

The imp growled, still struggling. The kids laughed, and continued playing with the fox fire.

"I told you I'm good with arrows! I got the shard, didn't I?"

"Regardless, woman, you would have been injured had I not intervened."

Shippo and Rin stopped, looking to see Sesshomaru and Kagome coming back to camp. Kagome held a newly purified shard, putting into the small glass jar that held the others and tucking it into her hakama. Sesshomaru followed shortly, wearing his usual stoic expression.

"I thank you for the intervention," Kagome said, trying to be polite, "but I had my arrow drawn. I was going to destroy him in about two seconds."

"One more moment was too long to ensure your safety." Sesshomaru did not wish to argue with the woman, and wondered for a moment if he should have allowed the mutated turtle to eat her.

"Well, thanks again, I guess." Kagome had been worried about being left alone with Sesshomaru to deal with the youkai, a large tortoise like creature with a jaw twice as tall as she was, but he had remained silent the entire way to the shard. Kagome had exercised her new youkai speed, and found she liked it a lot, even using it in battle. But her confidence in the new powers was a bit high, and she had gotten very close to the dangerous youkai before preparing to fire her arrow.

Apparently, Sesshomaru felt it was too close. He had sliced the leg off the youkai before it had the chance the swing it's leg around and knock her over.

While Kagome was grateful, she still felt that she would have had enough time to shoot the youkai. But instead of complaining, she found the shard and purified it. Sesshomaru had not said a word about it until they had almost reached camp, when he felt it necessary to mention that a thank you was in order because he went out of his way to help her.

"I didn't ask you to come anyway," Kagome huffed, stuffing the shard jar into her backpack. "I am a highly skilled warrior priestess now, not to mention my youkai abilities. I can handle myself."

"Hn." Sesshomaru refused to say any more on the subject. Arguing with the miko was not something that pleased him, and bickering with her was something his brother would do. "We must leave." He swiped his claws against the tree to free Jaken, and turned away.

"Actually, I was hoping to go home." Kagome knew better than to anger Sesshomaru with fighting. But now she felt awkward asking for the favor. Sesshomaru did not yet know of her time traveling skills, and she thought it better to explain sooner rather than later. "We've been so busy hunting Naraku, that I haven't had a chance to see my mother in months."

"I have not seen my mother in centuries, and I do not desire to. Why should it be different for you?"

"Because I happen to _like_ my mother," she retorted. "Please, Sesshomaru? I can deal with leaving my friends and having to get used to new powers, but I'm not sure I can handle all that if I can't visit with my mother and explain it to her." A sudden realization hit her. "She doesn't even _know_ I'm a youkai! Sesshomaru, can I please go to visit her?"

"Miko, I will not take time out of my schedule to allow for frivolous visits."

"But-!" she protested.

"I am _not _allowing a visit, woman."

"My _name _is Kagome!" she screamed, unable to take this. It was enough that she had abandoned her friends and taken on a new life so that he could keep his precious pride after being saddled with her, but not being allowed a visit with her mother was unacceptable. She wanted to be mature and polite, but this was the one thing not up for discussion. "I would hope that you could bother to learn it, since we're supposed to be mates. And I never caved when your brother asked me to stop visiting my family, so I won't cave to you."

Sesshomaru paused. "We are going. I do not want to hear about this again."

"Ugh!" Kagome threw her hands in the air. "Please, Sesshomaru, this is the only thing I've asked for from you."

She felt a hand around her throat, and was slammed against a tree.

"Woman," Sesshomaru hissed, "I have given up my peace of mind, my position as a proper Lord of the West, and the convenience of traveling without someone such as yourself, all because I was told to by a _plant. _I am now trapped with a former human miko as a mate, and it is likely that the other lords of this land will question this, and you have no idea the kind of strings I will have to pull in order to not be dethroned by them, all for you, a person I _do not care for._ Excuse me if I am impatient with requests that will further slow my progress with Naraku."

Kagome gripped his hand tightly, frightened by the look in those golden eyes. Sesshomaru held her for a moment longer, before releasing her and turning to leave. Kagome rubbed her neck, making a note to avoid angering him again.

But she still wished to see her mother. It had been too long, and she felt the desire to tell her about everything that was going on.

"Sesshomaru," she said, much quieter, "I feel like I really need to see my mother. Please?"

He stopped, glaring at her. "No."

She frowned. He had a point, he had given up some things to allow her to travel with them, but this was ridiculous. She had a right to see her mother.

"Fine, then. You go on your hunt for Naraku. I'll catch up with you in a couple days."

He turned to question her words, but she was gone, the sounds of leaves ruffling as she ran away. Her backpack was missing as well. He growled, turning to chase her down.

"Oh, Mama," Shippo sighed, shaking his head. "She had too much pride to let him boss her around. Just like with Inuyasha."

"And Lord Sesshomaru was too prideful to let her go in peace." Rin sighed along with him.

Sesshomaru tracked her scent as it moved to the south, toward Edo. He would not allow the miko to get away with this.

()

Hello, everyone! Sorry for the long wait, but state testing and crap has taken up my time, again. And I'm still using my parent's work laptop, which isn't available most of the time. I hope to write more when I get my own laptop fixed.

Anywho, did you guys like this chapter? Kagome has been fairly patient thus far, and that patience can only last so long. I felt she deserved an outburst. As for Sesshomaru, I'm trying to keep him in character, which is why he's basically being a jerk. That will improve later, trust me.

Thanks so much for reading, guys! I really appreciate having an audience, and the writing practice is always helpful for this aspiring author. I'll see you next time, and don't forget to please review! Ja ne!


	11. The Visit

Kagome was going toward Edo. That much was clear.

Sesshomaru tracked her scent through the forest, somewhat shocked by her speed. He had run for quite a while, and had yet to catch up with her. She might have been caught by now, but Kagome was propelled by anger and need.

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were similar, despite what Sesshomaru would like to think. Kagome was sure of that. They were both selfish, and stubborn to no end. She wondered if their father had been anything like that.

The well wasn't far off now. Sesshomaru would try to enter it and be denied. The well did not accept random individuals, only those who were specially connected. Kagome furrowed her brow. She had never quite figured out how Inuyasha was connected, but she assumed it was because they had been connected to one another at the time.

Her thoughts did not dwell long on the hanyou. She could smell the land of Edo, surprised at the rate of travel in such a short time. Her youkai powers were coming in handy.

But Sesshomaru was on her tail. She knew he was. There was no way to lose him except to push herself further. Trees and shrubs swept past as her speed increased. His footsteps distinctly sounded behind her, beat after beat. Her acute hearing could detect exactly how far behind he was. It was not far enough.

Edo was not far, either. What had been accomplished in days of walking was easily covered in a short time by running. Her senses flared. The proximity of the well was increasing. She only hoped that she could make it before she was caught. She could feel his presence, but she dared not look.

Sesshomaru reached out, ready to grab her. A few more feet, and he could drag her back to camp, kicking and screaming as he expected her to go. The woman obviously held family values above most things to go to such lengths for a visit. What would she even do once she reached her mother? She would have to stop, and he would have her.

He burst forward, snatching the edge of her haori. Kagome yelped, tumbling to the ground. The cloth shred, Kagome hit the ground rolling, and kept going, leaving Sesshomaru with a small bit of blue cloth between his fingers. He growled, leaping into another run.

It was very close now. She could tell. It called to her, beckoning her to it. The God Tree was in sight. She jumped, ready to fall into the future.

Sesshomaru leaped after her, questioning why in the world she would jump into an abandoned well. He landed softly on the ground, ready to grab her. But Kagome was not there.

His brow furrowed. He was sure she had jumped into the well. He spun around, checking for any spell scrolls or tricks that might have hidden her. There was nothing but the ancient structure.

"You're not gonna get through the well!" a voice chimed from above. Sesshomaru jumped out, met with Rin and Shippo on Ah-Un's back. Shippo was grinning. "Mama is the only one who can get through the well."

He frowned. "Through the well? Kit, what does that mean?"

"The well is magic. Mama travels through it to go home. Inu- I mean, your brother was the only other person who could go through it without a jewel shard."

Sesshomaru growled, eying the well with distaste. "That miko will not escape from me so easily."

()

Inuyasha drank more sake, happy to have a drink and forget.

"To lose both your lovers is awful," Kyoko sighed, taking the bottle back.

"Kyoko, Kikyo, Kagome. Too many names that sound alike," Inuyasha slurred. He was clearly drunk, but Kyoko didn't feel like putting the sake away. After stealing food from Koga and running like hell, Inuyasha insisted they get a drink. He snatched sake from a house in a village, and they shared it until they both felt they would keel over.

"Yes. Kagome sounds nice, though." She took another pull of sake. "Too bad you were a jerk and she left you for your brother."

"She didn't!" Inuyasha snarled. "She was forced to by that damn flower. If I'd had any say, she'd still be with us, detecting shards and shit."

"Rough." Kyoko wasn't normally one to get drunk, but the sake hadn't affected her as much as it had Inuyasha. She wondered what she was even doing, getting drunk with another hanyou. "If you want her back that bad, go after her."

Inuyasha rubbed his eyes. "What's the point? Stupid flower'll make her think she's gotta stay with my damn brother."

"Fight for her!" Kyoko shouted, swishing the sake bottle. "You have to fight for the ones you love, no matter what." The tigress herself did not know much about love, but she'd heard many stories about romance, and the subject instilled passion in her. "Go get her back!"

Inuyasha considered this, leaning his head against the tree behind him. Kagome had loved him before, but he couldn't be sure anymore. He'd been so cruel to her, pushed her away. If his plan had worked as he originally intended it to, Kagome would not love him. But if she still clung to her feelings, felt a shred of caring for him, perhaps it would be worth it to find her, to convince her of the folly of the Hana no Shukumei.

"Fine, then." He stood shakily, but the sake in his system was already being processed by his strong youkai blood. He would not remain drunk for long. "I'm going to Kagome, and tell her my brother's a bastard!"

"Atta boy!" Kyoko said, giggling. "I'll wait here for you. I wanna meet this woman of yours."

"Sure thing." Inuyasha turned and jumped, flying through the treetops on unsteady feet. He would apologize to her, and hopefully Kagome could forgive him.

()

Kagome climbed up the side of the well, wondering how in the world she would explain her situation to her mother. At best, her mother would calmly listen. At worst, she would have a panic attack.

Hiromi stood in the kitchen, preparing lunch. Her son and father were out finding video games for Souta, but Hiromi didn't expect them back so soon. She was puzzled when the front door opened, and went into the hall to see who it was.

"Hi, Mom."

"Kagome!" Hiromi rushed forward, hugging her daughter tightly. "I haven't seen you in months! What took you so long to visit?"

"It's been hard," Kagome said. "But before we talk about that, there's something I need to explain." Kagome pulled away, brushing her hair back to reveal her crescent moon imprint and pointed ears, smiling sheepishly. "Um, I'm a youkai now."

A few minutes later, Hiromi had tea prepared for both of them, sitting across from Kagome at the kitchen table, and listening while Kagome explained her situation with the Hana no Shukumei, leaving her friends to travel with Sesshomaru, and running away to visit her. Hiromi took it in stride, sipping her tea and leaving her questions until her daughter finished.

"Interesting," she said after she was done. "You're bound to this Sesshomaru, who doesn't sound like a pleasant man, and you've been transformed into a youkai, in order to mate with another youkai without your miko abilities harming him. Right?"

"Right." Kagome sighed. "I'm sorry about this, Mom. It's not like I chose to be a youkai."

"It's all right." Hiromi stirred her tea with a spoon. "I'm not mad at you, though I do wish you could have stayed a human. But you're still my daughter." She smiled, kissing Kagome on the forehead. "I love you, no matter what."

"Thanks." Kagome was flooded with joy, knowing her mother was willing to accept her. "I just wish I wasn't bound to Sesshomaru, of all people." She sighed again.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Kagome shrugged. "It's not like he's a bad person, necessarily. He's tried to kill me, but that was because I was with Inuyasha, and he hates Inuyasha. But he takes care of his young ward, Rin, like she was his own daughter. And he seems to do a good job of running the land. I don't know how much time he spends at wherever he rules from, a castle or whatever, but his system must work." She took another sip of tea, wondering what his subordinates thought of him. "He's cruel, but I think that's how he was taught to be. A lot of these royal families think that kindness is weak."

"In a lot of cases, that can be true," Hiromi said. "I'm willing to bet that his ward, this Rin, has been attacked because she's seen as a weak point for him."

"She has." Kagome remembered rescuing the little girl, how terrified she looked. "But my point is, I'm not sure why I've been bound to him. He seems like the complete opposite of my type. I want someone kind and caring, someone who will protect me even if I'm strong enough to protect myself."

"And he doesn't do that?"

"Well . . ." Kagome remembered the way Sesshomaru had defended her from the youkai when they were trying to obtain the shard, despite the fact that she was convinced she could have saved herself. "Sometimes, but he says it's for his own status. That if he rejected me after I've been clearly marked as his mate, it would smirch his honor."

"Honor is important to a lot of people. But perhaps he will grow to like you."

"Maybe." Kagome finished her tea, wishing Sesshomaru could show kindness to others besides Rin. She wanted to see his kind side, if they were going to be together for life.

For life. Mated forever. The thought scared her. She wasn't ready to settle down. Yes, it would be nice to have someone to love and care for, but she was eighteen. She didn't want to commit to the youkai equivalent of marriage so soon.

()

Sesshomaru thumped to the ground, pleased that the kit was useful for once. Luck was on his side when Kagome dropped her jewel shard container, allowing him to use the shards to travel through the well. The kit had been more than reluctant to release them after finding them on the ground at their camp, but a small threat was enough to force him to relinquish them.

It was interesting to know that the shards had a use other than bestowing power unto the user. Sesshomaru tucked them into his haori, peering above him. Instead of blue sky, there was a roof overhead. He jumped out, looking around the shrine house. The exit point of the well must have been some area where people knew the well's power, and saw it as sacred. Sesshomaru walked up the steps, opening the door of the shrine.

Powerful scents hit his nose like a canon ball. The foul odor was almost overwhelming, something he had never encountered before. He stepped outside, the smell only strengthening. The sights that welcomed him were unexpected.

Tall buildings made of metal, reflective material in small squares around the walls. Metal boxes moving on discolored roads beneath a long set of stairs. Humans, hundreds of them, walking beside the metal boxes, wearing strange clothing that he did not recognize. The way the miko had first dressed when they met made more sense to him now. Female humans wore similar outfits, revealing their skin like harlots.

Sesshomaru stepped back, peering around the raised area that held the shrine house. Beside it was a tree similar to the one near the well back in his own land. And in front of him was a small home, different from the huts he was used to seeing. Inside it, he could detect two scents. A human woman, and Kagome.

He had her now. This must be her family home, and she was in there, visiting her mother. He would take her back to his land, no matter what she said. Wasting precious time visiting people that could survive without her was something he could not afford.

"Perhaps he will grow to like you."

"Maybe."

The voices inside were of Kagome and the woman. Sesshomaru stepped up to the door, listening carefully.

"His priorities are all about himself, though." Kagome sounded frustrated. "And he doesn't believe that I'm strong. I want him to know that I'm capable of a lot."

Was she speaking of him? Sesshomaru didn't wish to hear more, blasting through the wooden door and following Kagome's scent.

She whipped around at the explosion, rising up to protect her mother. When Kagome saw that it was Sesshomaru in the doorway, her mind swirled with a dozen questions.

"What are you doing here?" was the first one to slip out. "You can't get through the well!"

"Miko," he said, removing the shard jar from his shirt. "You left this behind, and the kit was good enough to give it to me. The well was not an obstacle." He put the shards away, watching Kagome's expression give way to surprise and disbelief.

"Crap," she muttered. Turning to him, she said, "Sesshomaru, I'm here to visit my mom. You can't tear me away from her just because you think I'm wasting my time here. I happen to care about my family, and enjoy checking in on them."

"This is Sesshomaru?" Hiromi asked, undaunted by the obviously violent youkai in her kitchen. "He looks like Inuyasha."

Sesshomaru growled loudly. "I am nothing like that hanyou."

"That's a sore spot, Mom," Kagome warned.

Hiromi stepped out from behind Kagome, inspecting Sesshomaru closely. He sneered at the human, but she was not threatened in the least. She reached out, shocking Sesshomaru by touching his hair. "Oh, so silky," she said. "Pretty."

"Do not touch this Sesshomaru." He yanked his hair away and growled again. "Or I will tear your arm off."

"Violent!" Hiromi scolded. "That is no sort of attitude for your future mate's mother. I want to introduce myself properly." She held her hand out. "My name is Hiromi, I am Kagome's mother, and I expect some manners in my house."

Sesshomaru ignored her hand, facing Kagome. "You will come back with me."

"I'm visiting my mom," Kagome said, almost growling herself. "And I won't leave."

He could see that she was not responding to force. And while he would have liked to drag her out and down the well, she would resent him for it. Such resentment could lead to complications.

"Very well. May we discuss this, alone?" Talking might be the only thing Kagome would respond to.

She blinked, surprised. "Um, sure, I guess. Mom?"

Hiromi nodded. "I'll leave you two alone, but I'll be in the living room if you need me." She stepped out, hoping her daughter wouldn't do anything rash.

Kagome plopped herself in a chair, glaring at Sesshomaru. "Why do you insist on taking me away from my mother? All I wanted to do was say hi and explain about the Hana."

"I do not wish to waste time," Sesshomaru said. "Naraku gains ground every day that we do not find him. The more time is wasted, the longer it will take me to vanquish him."

Kagome's eyes softened. "I know you want to capture Naraku. I do, too. But family is very important to me, and something that I don't want to lose while hunting him down." She brushed her hair back to reveal the mark on her forehead. "Just because I'm marked with this doesn't mean my priorities are going to change. I came here while traveling with my friends, and I'll come here while traveling with you. That's that."

She would not budge. He could see that clearly, and forcing her to listen would only benefit him in the short term. For now, it might serve him better to keep her happy. If she hated him, it would give a bad impression to the other lords of the land.

"Very well," he conceded. "I can see that you will not change your mind."

Shocked by his sudden switch in attitude, Kagome wasn't sure what to say. Sesshomaru was one of the most stubborn men she had ever met. "All right," she said warily. "If you say so."

"But I expect your visits to be brief. If they take too long, I will force you to come back."

And _there_ was the personality she expected. Kagome sighed, knowing his change of heart was too good to be true. "Fine, then. I'll only stay here for the day, if that's what you insist on." At least he let me visit, she thought.

Pleased with her response, Sesshomaru turned to leave, without so much as a goodbye, when a loud crash sounded outside.

"You damn bastard, get out here and fight!"

Kagome recognized the voice, and groaned. "Oh, Inuyasha."

()

That's chapter eleven! Hey, all, Mattaki-chan here. I hope you guys liked this chapter. I tried to make it a bit longer than usual.

And so we introduce Kyoko, the tiger hanyou from last chapter. Some of you might remember her from the original story, but she's a pretty minor character there. This time around, I'm going to give her more backstory, and she'll definitely show up more often.

And it seems that Sesshy is finally realizing that being mean and getting Kagome frustrated all the time might not be helpful, ha ha. Hooray for character development.

Happy 4th of July, you guys! I'm not sure how many of you reading this are in America, but I've been hearing talk of fireworks and parties on TV all day. I myself am not going to be doing anything, but that's okay. I hope you guys all have a good day today, and please review! You know I love the reviews!

I'll try and write more soon! Ja ne! :)


	12. The Return

The two were outside immediately, finding Inuyasha in front of the shrine house, completely pissed. Kagome sighed, knowing this would only end badly.

"The hanyou possesses a shard to gain access to the well," Sesshomaru said, mostly to himself.

"No, the moron can get through on his own, like me." Kagome sighed again.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, and made note to ask her about that detail later. For now, there was an irritating presence to deal with. "Inuyasha, if you wish to be defeated, why do you not go to Naraku?"

Inuyasha growled. "It's not like you've beaten him either! Besides, I'm here for you. I want Kagome back, _now_."

There was a pause.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome stepped closer. "I thought you hated me."

Inuyasha shook his head with a solemn look, ready to confess everything. "I never did, Kagome. It was horrible to lose you, and the fact that I had Kikyo didn't make it any better. I dealt with it by getting angry and blaming it all on you. I felt like I betrayed you when I chose her, but I didn't feel like I had a choice. I loved Kikyo first, and there were some things I had to make right with her. I'm sorry." His ears hung low in shame. "I never intended to come off like I hated you. It was just easier to cope that way."

Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing. Two years of thinking she had lost her best friend and first love, and the entire time he was agonized because he'd been forced to choose between two people that he didn't want to give up.

But that didn't dissipate her anger.

"You insulted me," she said. "You were cruel and insensitive, and you broke my heart every time I saw you with Kikyo. You could have _told _me that you wanted some distance." It didn't occur to her that she knew Inuyasha wasn't the type to talk about what he wanted. "And now you think you can ask for me back? What about Kikyo?"

Inuyasha looked away, the rashness of this idea dawning on him. "She's gone. I . . . I accidentally killed her."

Another pause.

"You killed her?" Kagome was horrified. "But you said you loved her, Inuyasha. Why in the world . . . ?"

"It was an accident!" He shook his head, guilt flooding him again. "I didn't mean to, my youkai half took over! I'm the worst person in the world, all right? I scorned the girl I loved and killed the woman I adored. Happy!"

"This is pointless. Leave," Sesshomaru commanded.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Kagome put a hand up. "Don't order him around, and if you start fighting, I swear, I'll zap you both with my miko powers. Stay, and be a good boy."

Sesshomaru growled, baring his teeth, but Kagome paid him no mind. She walked up to Inuyasha, angry with herself for losing her cool and yelling at him. He was clearly very upset. She placed a hand on his cheek.

"I guess I shouldn't have done that," she said. "I got mad and jumped to conclusions. I was just hurt, that's all. And I'm sorry about Kikyo."

Sesshomaru would not watch his future mate sympathize with and comfort his brother, regardless of whether or not he actually liked her. He rushed forward, yanking Kagome back and growling at the hanyou.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome wrenched herself from his grip, surprising both men, and reminding Sesshomaru that he had to stop forgetting that she was an inu youkai now. "I told you to stay put and not to fight! Inuyasha is having a difficult time, and all you can think about is showing him how tough you are." She scowled. "Leave him alone."

"You do not order this Sesshomaru around." He grabbed her wrist again. "I will submit to no one, least of all you, and simply because my brother has made a fool of himself with women does not mean I will allow you to fawn all over him."

Kagome frowned. He wouldn't let her visit her family, he wouldn't let her comfort Inuyasha, and he refused to treat her as an equal thus far. It might be time to show him that she wasn't just some girl messing around, she was serious.

Sesshomaru leaped back, his hand full of searing pain. He rumbled with anger, glaring at the miko. A blue residue glowed on her hand briefly before dissipating. She smirked. "I told you I would use my powers if you didn't listen. I don't _want_ to hurt you, but suppressing my independence is something I will not tolerate."

"Heh, you tell him," Inuyasha snorted, pleasure at seeing his brother hurt overwhelming the guilt. He would have much rather done it himself, but the singe of a miko attack would last longer than a punch from him.

Sesshomaru whirled around. "Do not talk, hanyou."

"Cut it out!" Kagome shoved herself between them, her hands glowing again. "I _still_ don't know why you guys have to fight all the time! Sesshomaru, leave Inuyasha alone. You told me yourself that you don't want to waste time with pointless things. Well, this is pretty pointless to me. Quit it before I have to shock you again. And Inuyasha," she said, turning to him, "I'm very sorry for your loss. Kikyo meant well. But I can't go back to you just because Kikyo is gone."

She lowered her hands, sighing. "The Hana no Shukumei has been clear enough about who my mate is supposed to be. I don't have to like it, I just have to live with it. I was hoping to get to know Sesshomaru better, maybe see a different side of him." She glanced at the inu. "But he's been obvious about how much he dislikes me."

"Do not speak as if I am not here-"

Kagome held up her hand in silent threat, and continued, "Still, it's my duty to stay with him, for some unknown purpose. I want to be friends, Inuyasha, but I don't think we can be more than that, even if the Hana wasn't involved. You've hurt me too much."

Inuyasha looked to the ground, unsure of what to say. Eventually, an "I'm sorry," escaped his lips. "I guess I should have known you wouldn't take me back."

"I'm sorry too." This whole event had flipped Kagome back and forth several times, and she wanted a rest.

"I kinda decided to do this when I was drunk on sake. Real smart. I'll leave." Quick as lightning, Inuyasha went back into the shrine and down the well, without so much as an insult towards Sesshomaru, which was a great show of self-control for him.

Kagome faced Sesshomaru, prepared for a verbal bashing on her actions toward him. But instead she received only an annoyed look.

"Finish your visit, and return swiftly, or I will be forced to pull you back myself."

Sesshomaru left as quickly as Inuyasha had.

Kagome stood there, wondering if Sesshomaru would continue to surprise her in the future.

()

The Lord of the West landed gracefully at the well's bottom, springing up into the feudal era. His ensemble was there, the kids playing games while Jaken and Ah-Un sat watching them.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Did you get Kagome back?" Rin asked, putting Shippo's toy down. He'd brought the many gifts from Kagome out to show her, but his lordship was more interesting to her.

"She will be here momentarily." Sesshomaru had too much on his mind to deal with the children. Inuyasha's scent lingered, but the hanyou was nowhere to be found, and Sesshomaru did not bother to concern himself with finding him. Kagome's words were too distracting.

_ I was hoping to get to know Sesshomaru better, maybe see a different side of him._

Did she truly think that she could see a different side of him? He had no other side. And why she would want to know him better was beyond him.

_**Maybe she wants to get to know you because she knows she's tied to you for life, and she might as well figure out how cruel you are, so she's prepared for it. **_

His inner youkai. As if he needed its input.

_Kagome is not the type to indirectly insult someone. She is simply fool enough to believe that I have a kinder side to me. _

_**And how would you know what type she is?**_

"Sesshomaru."

He was pulled from his thoughts by a female voice. It was not Kagome, but a tiger hanyou, judging by the scent. She wore a blazing red kimono to match her hair, golden eyes looking to him accusingly.

"Do not address me by a casual title," he ordered, glaring.

"Very well, Lord Sesshomaru." Her stance remained confident despite his intimidating appearance. "I just wanted to inform you that your brother seems a decent man to me, and from the way he talks about you, you have missed an opportunity for a good relationship with him."

She was telling him off.

"I have no desire to associate with hanyou, including you. Jaken, Ah-Un, we are departing. Kagome will catch up with us by scent when she returns." Sesshomaru turned on his heel.

The hanyou woman snorted. "Your loss, my lord. Inuyasha has his heart in the right place." And she was gone, leaping among the trees in the same fashion Inuyasha did.

Sesshomaru shrugged off her sudden and unwanted comments. It was far too late to hope for a good relationship with Inuyasha, even if he felt he desired something so useless.

"Lord Sesshomaru, you called Miss Kagome by her name!" Rin said, smiling sweetly. "Are you finally warming up to her?"

He had not noticed that. It was typical of Rin to pick up on such a small change. While it was true that he referred to her as Kagome in his head occasionally, saying it out loud was out of character, especially when he was meticulous about what he said.

_**You're warming up to her! **_His inner youkai practically bounced with delight. Sesshomaru squashed it and kept walking.

()

Kikyo sat gently on the tree branch, watching Inuyasha discuss his life with another hanyou, a woman. The girl was friendly, with a warm, mahogany aura floating around her. Kikyo felt comforted that Inuyasha would have someone to talk to, at least for a short while.

She wasn't angry with him. In fact, she was relieved. Being trapped in that clay body instead of staying naturally dead was a torture that she was forced to hide almost every moment. Once out, it felt as if a great pressure were taken off.

But she had not gone to the afterlife, or even gone back into Kagome's body where she belonged. Instead she was sitting in a tree, a lifeless apparition with no body to cling to. Kikyo was well aware that ghosts existed only to resolve issues left before death, but she could not figure out what her unfinished issue was.

She guessed it had something to do with Inuyasha, who had run off after Kagome, only to come back empty handed and frustrated. The hanyou woman found him again, talking him through the second loss of a woman he cared for. Kagome was gone for good this time, and he knew it. Kikyo wished she could comfort him, but her hands would leave only cold in their wake.

Knowing she could not do anything for Inuyasha, and not wishing to stay and watch his agony, she decided to wander the physical earth until whatever spirit in charge of rounding up the dead came to gather her into the afterlife. Any spirit allowed to wander for too long could gain the powers of this earth, become something not spirit and not physical creature. An in between that would seek vengeance for wrongs done to it.

That had been her persona when she was first revived, Kikyo mused. Half a spirit in a clay body that wanted to attack Inuyasha for supposedly destroying her. After learning about Naraku and forgiving Inuyasha, the vengeful hatred had gone. But she remained a half creature with a fraction of her miko powers. Losing her physical cage had been a blessing.

She meandered along in the woods, following a vague direction that part of her was aware she should head toward. She had no idea where she was going, but at this point, she didn't care much either way. Anywhere different was fine.

Hours that felt like seconds to her ghostly form passed her by, and without quite realizing it, she continued to circle around the same patch of land. When this dawned on her, Kikyo turned and went to the center of what she circled, for there was most definitely a reason that her spirit was drawn to it.

The reason was apparent the moment she saw the small campsite. Kagome was there, holding the rest of her fractured spirit inside that powerful body. Kikyo remembered being surprised when she saw the extent of the girl's purification powers some time ago. Becoming that strong with only part of your whole soul was a challenge.

She was talking with her adopted son, the fox kit. The selfless act of adopting a youkai child had surprised Kikyo. Although Kagome was now a youkai as well, thanks to the Hana no Shukumei. Kikyo knew of its powers, and that it was never wrong about those it paired together. She also knew that Inuyasha's mother had been given her own mate because of the Hana. No one could forget the day the infamous Inu no Taishou took a human mate. Even the humans, who normally stayed away from issues of youkai politics, were in a frenzy about one of their princesses leaving for a youkai because of some flower.

Kikyo would have never guessed that she would fall in love with the Taishou's son. Or that she would be killed by him in such a gruesome manner. And even in death, she was dealing with another Taishou son. The Lord of the West sat some distance from the others, brooding. Kikyo moved near him, wondering if the most powerful youkai alive would be able to sense her presence.

He did not. Kikyo moved closer, pondering a myth she had heard about ghosts some time back. Reaching with a wavering hand, hoping her form would keep, Kikyo touched his forehead, and probed him with her mind.

_"I must find Naraku soon, before he gains the upper hand." _

His thoughts were typical. Most people she'd met on her journeys were after Naraku. Inuyasha and his band had gained quite the number of allies over the years, many of them just as eager as Inuyasha was to catch Naraku. Sesshomaru was no different.

_"But if that miko continues to insist on family visits to that strange land, it will slow us down immensely." _Anger, frustration, annoyance. Kikyo sensed the emotions in his thoughts, and the disdain for Kagome's company. That didn't bode well for the two future mates.

_**"She would be a more tolerable presence if you got to know her. Remember how much Rin used to annoy you?"**_

A second voice made Kikyo jump, her connection on his mind lost. The voice was gruffer, less human sounding, and after a moment's thought, Kikyo realized it was his inner youkai. Much like a human has a conscience that acts as another voice, inu youkai were famous for their inner sides, the instinctive parts of them that brought out hidden opinions that the inu's conscious mind would either not recognize or refuse to acknowledge. Sesshomaru's inner youkai was most likely the side that talked of kinder actions and varying sides of an issue, judging on how cruel and one track minded Sesshomaru was. Kikyo steadied herself, and reached into his thoughts again.

_**"Kagome could become a person to admire for her strength, if nothing else."**_

The inner youkai was presenting a rational argument for not hating Kagome. Kikyo liked it already, smirking as she heard Sesshomaru's conscious mind scoff at it.

_"It is true that she possesses strength, but I have met many strong youkai that I did not like. I am not going to like Kagome. Drop it."_

Kikyo pulled away, having heard enough. Along with words, the feelings behind the thoughts were easily detectable. His inner youkai knew Sesshomaru was stuck with Kagome, trying to make the best of it and possibly come around to not despising her. Sesshomaru himself wanted nothing to do with a former human, and saw her as little more than extra baggage.

She had been drawn to this campsite while wandering. Kikyo wondered if her spirit was merely trying to go back to Kagome, to the rest of her soul, or if there was some other reason for her being there. Kikyo turned to Kagome, watching her play with the children, and glance at the powerful youkai ignoring her.

Perhaps she could help, but even if she could not, Kikyo wanted to watch the cautious mating dance between the one who could not stand a miko, and the one who was curious but wary of a cruel youkai.

()

Finally! This chapter took a damn long time, mostly because I've been so busy with summer school work (stupid advanced classes). I hope you guys enjoyed it.

Kagome kicks Fluffy ass! Her miko powers are not to be messed with. I realize her emotions are wishy-washy in this chapter, but she's confused right now. I would be, too, if the guy I loved suddenly declared that he didn't hate me and that he wanted me back. The news about Kikyo shook her as well.

Kyoko is doing her best to comfort her new friend, but trying to let Sesshomaru know how nice she thinks Inuyasha is won't really help, ha ha. I want her to be a confident character, but she'll be a little like Inuyasha in that she doesn't respect authority figures much.

And Kikyo is back from the grave! Or back from the clay body, as it were. Those of you who read the original story might remember that little tidbit. I'm planning on having fun with her mind reading abilities (smirk).

I have to go now, but I hope you guys liked this update. And, as alwasy, please review! Reviews are food for my motivation!

Ja ne!


	13. The Separation

It was different. New. And unwanted.

Sesshomaru growled internally at the turn of events. Managing her when she was around did not pose a problem. But keeping watch on her when she was away from him would be difficult, and something he most certainly did not want to deal with.

The scent burned his nostrils. He had not smelled it since he'd lived at his castle, and females were trying to entice him into their beds. It never worked unless his inner youkai was particularly rowdy, and that was rare. As the autumn leaves fell, he knew that this was not untimely. He would have to part from Kagome for a while.

He supposed it was for the best. Sesshomaru needed to go back to the castle and alert the other lords about his new mate. If he did not tell them of her within a certain amount of time, it might lead to complications later. He could separate from the group and go to the castle ahead, inform the lords of the other lands about the situation, and introduce them to Kagome when she arrived. Knowing them, they would all like to meet her, being friendlier than himself. And if they took a liking to her, they would feel that much sorrier for Sesshomaru when she inevitably left. He did not want pity, but it was preferable to the contempt they would view him with if they thought he had tossed her to the side himself.

Kagome had cooked for the group, feeling better than she had yesterday. Inuyasha's face crept into her head, how guilty he looked, but she tried to push it away. Sesshomaru wouldn't stand to have Inuyasha around, and she wouldn't be able to go looking for him herself. She had to focus on the better aspects of her life for the moment.

She surprised herself when talking to Inuyasha, about how she wanted to get to know Sesshomaru. Maybe deep within herself she'd known that was what she wanted, but her conscious mind hadn't registered it. She didn't want to hate him, that was for sure. Hating people took energy she wouldn't want to waste. But she highly doubted Sesshomaru would be willing to be friendly.

Sesshomaru was staying away from her this morning, which was not unusual, but his nose wrinkled every so often. She wondered what it was. She couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary.

When Kagome looked up, the kids happily munching on breakfast and Jaken still asleep on Ah-Un's back, Sesshomaru was a few steps farther back, gesturing with a claw for her to come closer. Confused, but willing, Kagome obeyed and followed him a fair distance away from camp.

"Sesshomaru? What's this about?"

He faced her, the scent assaulting him again. Ignoring it, he went to the point. "Miko, you are now a female inu youkai. As such, your body goes into heat twice a year to attract a male inu youkai mate. I am more than capable of resisting, but it would be best for you not to be around myself or other male inu for some time."

The entirety of the news was thrown at her, and it took some time before Kagome fully understood. She scrunched her eyebrows. "Female inu attract a mate twice a year?"

"Attempt to, yes. You give off a powerful scent that lets males know that you are ready for breeding. The scent is detectable, and affects, almost any male youkai, but the effects work most potently on inu males."

Kagome tried to wrap her head around the new idea. "So you want me to go away, or else my scent will bother you?"

"On the contrary," Sesshomaru said, annoyed that she hadn't fully understood the concept yet, "I will be leaving you in the hands of Jaken and Ah-Un. While your scent would not affect me significantly, it is bothersome enough to warrant staying away from you."

_Oh, that's how he's playing it,_ Kagome thought. _Say you don't want me even when my youkai body is begging yours to come take a whiff. I bet if I tried hard enough, it would 'affect' him._ But while Kagome was competitive, she wasn't about to lower herself to that level just to laugh at Sesshomaru. He was a stubborn jerk who asserted his superiority over others, but she wasn't about to let him know that his attitude irritated her.

"Fine, then," she said, sighing. "This is as good a reason as any to stay away from me, I guess."

She hadn't realized she'd said that out loud.

"Shit," she muttered a second later.

He raised an eyebrow. "Is that a problem?"

Squirming, Kagome cursed herself and her big mouth. But she also knew that it might be time to talk about this, since it had been bugging her for a couple days. If she didn't talk about it now, she might not be able to later.

"Yes, it does, actually." She stood firm, ready to take anything Sesshomaru might dish out. "I've been taken away from my friends, changed into a youkai, and thrust into a Mating Dance that I never wanted." She took a deep breath. "I was hoping that, at least, you might be willing to _try_ and get to know each other, since we'll be bound for the rest of eternity!"

Sesshomaru took her words in, choosing his response carefully. "Miko-"

"Please call me Kagome," she said, exasperated. "I'm tired of not being called by my name. Can I get that dignity, if nothing else?"

He internally sighed. "Kagome," he corrected, "You must know me better than to expect me to become friendly with my brother's former wench." Kagome looked like she would object, but shook her head and motioned for him to continue.

"I was taught by my father that weakness is inexcusable. Seeing as he was killed after falling in love with a human, by the man who also loved her, I am not kind in my views toward showing affection. If you think that the fact that we are bound by fate will change my mind, you are wrong."

Struck down, Kagome paused, and leaned against a tree. "Damn it." She sighed heavily, running a hand through her hair. "And you're only doing this so your honor isn't smirched with the other lords of the land, right?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "Keep no illusions, I would not do this if it did not reflect badly on me to ignore it." The truth was hard, but the quicker Kagome understood, the faster she would get fed up with him and leave, and the sooner he could explain to the other lords that his prospective mate had fled. Even if Kagome's leaving looked bad for him, it was better than him being the one to break it off, or, worse, going through with the mating.

"Fine. You can leave during my heat, or whatever."

"Good." Sesshomaru faced the camp, ready to go back and inform the others of the situation. "There is some business for me to take care of at my home. I will be going there, and Jaken will lead you there some distance behind my trail."

"Sure, sure. Have fun." Kagome slumped under her tree. Sesshomaru only looked for a moment, before going to the camp to break the news to the others.

Kagome sat, more annoyed than ever with Sesshomaru. It was hard enough that her whole life had been flipped upside down, did he have to be a jerk about the fact that he didn't like her?

_No use moping about it, _she thought. _It'll only make me madder. _She stood, returning to camp.

Sesshomaru was already gone. Jaken had packed up camp. Rin and Shippo were waiting, and Ah-Un snorted. Kagome smiled, and they set out without the youkai lord for the first time in a week.

()

Sesshomaru peered above him, the Japanese-style building casting a shadow over the land. His sphere of light had transported him here within minutes, while it would take several days of walking for his comrades to arrive. Enough time for Kagome's heat to pass and alert the other youkai lords of his initiated Mating Dance. He hoped Kagome would give up on him shortly after.

After considering his options, Sesshomaru determined that the best way to be rid of Kagome was to make her want to leave. He'd known before that a broken Mating Dance would reflect badly on him either way, because it was generally the male who asked for it in the first place, but it would affect him less if Kagome left of her own volition. The lords of the land would ask him about it, and he would simply say that Kagome wasn't ready for the responsibility that came with being his mate. The youkai lords would be disappointed, possibly berate him for not finding a mate and insist that he needed one soon, and leave the matter alone until a few decades from now when one of them would ask about a mate again.

The plan would work smoothly enough, hurting as few feelings as possible. Kagome might be offended that he would not keep her around, even for the honor of his family, but that honor was easily redeemed, and the feelings of a former human miko were of no concern to him.

And the Hana no Shukumei. The flower that determined their fate. Sesshomaru assured himself that whatever their mating was supposed to lead to, whatever made the Hana pair them together, the world could survive without it.

He entered the castle, the guards bowing to him. Servants bustled to keep order with the nobles residing at his home. Nobles were always there, having meetings and using it as a vacation home. Sesshomaru did not mind. It helped to have people indebted to you.

Every servant he passed bowed to him before continuing their work. Each one was a youkai, not a human or hanyou. He would never allow them to pass into his home, Rin being the only exception. She had a lavish bedroom and many toys to keep her occupied. And as his ward, she was also the closest thing he had to an heir. Young youkai boys, despite their age of only eleven or twelve, would propose to her in hopes of gaining favor with the Lord of the West. Rin turned them all down. A girl who had not even entered womanhood had no interest in them.

She took to Shippo immediately, though, perhaps because he, like her, was only interested in games and fun. Rin would be sad to see him go after Kagome left, but perhaps Sesshomaru could find another playmate like him.

He found his bedroom, exactly the way it had been when he left. None of the servants dared touch it while he was gone. The regal, Western style bed rose on four elegantly carved posts, the blood red sheets and curtains sweeping over the mattress. A large rug with an embroidery of his true form sat in the center of the floor, a walk in closet and reading desk on either side of it. Across from his bed was the door to a balcony, the waist high railing above the garden in the courtyard.

It had been his father's room. Sesshomaru inherited it along with his position, moving the personalized rug from his old room. It took some time, but his father's scent was removed, along with all of his belongings, which were stored in an old room on a lower floor, where Sesshomaru would not see them. Any reminders of his family were promptly removed and stored away.

Except for the tapestry in the front hall. The other youkai lords insisted that it stay visible, probably because it was commissioned from a famous artist, and reminded them of the time when his father still had honor. He had still been trying to complete the Mating Dance with his mother, even though Sesshomaru was born long before that. The tapestry showed his young, smiling face. The only time he smiled, because his parents looked happy.

Soon after the tapestry was done, his mother told the Inu no Taishou that she refused to complete the last step of the Mating Dance, and walked out of their lives forever. Thereafter, his father taught him that love was a weakness, and he was never to show his feelings. Sesshomaru never smiled again.

But he was not here to relive memories. He went to a small bookshelf next to his desk, pulling out the book he wanted. He thumbed through it absentmindedly. The book was a journal his father had kept long ago. He took it out from time to time, and read about his father's battle strategies, for that was the majority of what was written. His father had taken to writing down his methods of training after Sesshomaru's mother left. He supposed that the writing made him feel better about not having anyone to talk to. And battle training was what Sesshomaru saw him do whenever he wasn't dealing with political issues. It was the only thing he had to write about.

He never had much time to read the book, and never went far into it after finding a useful battle tactic that he decided to try. Several had been revealed since he began looking at the journal, and while he had not needed to use them yet, he enjoyed knowing there was something other than his standard attacks to pull out during a fight.

Sesshomaru found nothing useful in the beginning pages of the book. He flipped to the back, to a section he had never read before. The pages smelled of dust and his father. Sesshomaru read the lines quickly, searching for anything of interest, when an unusual entry caught his eyes.

_Ah, it is a good day. For I have met an intriguing woman, who is not even a youkai. I was out observing the west, on my daily rounds to keep the peace of the land, when I saw her. She was by a river, gazing at herself in the water. Normally, I would not be interested in such a weak creature, but she held a beauty matched only by my former mate. _

_ I descended from my youkai cloud to speak with her, and she was not frightened by me as a normal human would have been. I am not sure what possessed me to strike a conversation, but perhaps it was the oddly colored lily that she held in her hands. She claimed to have found it the day before, and that it was a danger to those who held it. I, however, felt nothing when I took it from her. I think she made the claim just to try and fool me. But a human brave enough to do that is one that amuses me. _

Sesshomaru closed the book and put it back on its shelf. He knew what that flower was. There was a portrait of Izayoi holding a blue lily stored with everything else that reminded him of his father. And as Myoga had told him, it was the Hana no Shukumei, binding his father to a human and resulting in the birth of his hanyou brother.

He would not be looking at that journal again anytime soon.

A knock sounded on the door. Sesshomaru turned, glad for the distraction. "Enter."

A servant woman, old, with gray streaks in her hair, bowed before him. She was one of the weaker youkai that aged at about the same rate as a human. Sesshomaru might have had her disposed of if she did not prove to be useful in instructing the younger servants. "My lord," she said, bowing again, "There is a young boy at the gate. A hanyou. And he refuses to leave unless he speaks with you."

Sesshomaru sneered mentally, but showed nothing to the woman. "Have the guards dispose of him," he said, as if it were obvious, which it should have been.

"We tried, sire, but he is a hanyou of the variety that can appear in any location he wishes. He continues to transport himself to the front gate."

Wondering why the hanyou didn't simply bring himself into the castle with this ability, Sesshomaru pushed past the servant to deal with the issue.

He was young indeed, no more than a few years older than the fox kit. His feline ears twitched on the top of his head, green as the summer grass hair he had tied into a ponytail. His indignant face was pointed at the youkai guard who would not let him in.

"I have to see Lord Sesshomaru!" he whined.

"Kid, quit showing up at the gate and leave," the guard warned.

"State the nature of your problem."

Sesshomaru shoved the guard aside, glowering at the tiny hanyou. He brightened upon seeing him, bowing respectfully. "My lord," he said, "I have been seeking you out."

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "And?"

The hanyou stood as tall as he could manage. "I have searched for you for days, until finally arriving at your extravagant castle. The guards could not thwart me," he looked smugly at the guard, "for I have the ability to transport myself to any place I have seen with my own eyes. I continued to take myself to your gate because my mission is more important to me than anything." He puffed his chest out, the picture of a proud youth.

Sesshomaru was not impressed. "Tell me what it is so I may dismiss you and continue my work." As the hanyou could apparently take himself back to the gate as many times as he wanted, it would be easier to listen to him.

He flattened out. "Oh." His eyes fell, and raised again. "I was actually looking for you because I had heard the rumor that you are the new mate of the Lady Kagome."

The guard stared at him. Sesshomaru bent back the urge to bare his teeth. He'd wanted to keep that under wraps until Kagome arrived, otherwise the servants would have a field day of theories about where she came from and why they were in a Mating Dance.

"I am not her mate," he answered, "we are simply in the early stages of the Mating Dance." There was no point in hiding it now that a guard knew. The news would spread like wildfire. "She is not here. What do you want from her?"

The hanyou looked proud again. "My mother sent me here. She said that only the Lady Kagome could help her with what she needed. I did not know how to find her troupe of friends that were said to travel the land and help those in need, and I would have given up, had I not heard about you being her mate."

"We are not mated," Sesshomaru said again. "And as I said before, she is not here."

He frowned. "When will she get here?"

Sesshomaru wanted to toss him out. _**I wouldn't do that if I were you.**_

Fantastic, his inner youkai had something to say about it. _And why not? _Out loud, he said, "I will be back in a moment." The hanyou was about to protest, but Sesshomaru turned to deliberate with himself outside the views of others.

_**If you throw that hanyou out, Kagome will inevitably find out about it. She'll hate you for it.**_

_I do not care if she hates me, _Sesshomaru snarled, _My goal was to make her hate me in order for her to leave. _

_**If Kagome leaves, the other lords will blame you.**_

_They will pity me under the belief that I suffered the same fate as my father. I would rather have pity than contempt. _

_**But it would be so much easier to make her your mate! And who knows, you might, I don't know, actually start **_**liking **_**somebody other than yourself and Rin? You can't stay in a closed shell forever. **_

_I can damn well try. _

He ended it there, unwilling to listen to the arguments his inner youkai tried to present. None of it would convince him to keep a hanyou around rather than kick him out. He went back to the front gate, the hanyou waiting patiently.

"Kagome will not be here for several days," Sesshomaru said, narrowing his eyes. "If you wish to see her, come back then and cease your attempts to get into my castle."

The hanyou grinned. "If I really wanted to get in the castle, I could transport myself to the inside of the gate. I can see it, after all. But that would be rude, wouldn't it?" He laughed. "I'll wait until Lady Kagome arrives, and come back to seek what I want. Goodbye, my lord, it was an honor talking to you."

The hanyou blinked, and was gone.

()

Chapter thirteen! The unlucky one, if superstition is to be believed. And it is indeed unlucky that Sesshomaru has decided he would rather take crap from the other lords about failing the Mating Dance than actually go through with it. Oh, Sesshy, when will you realize what a fool you're being?

This chapter was more about Sesshomaru, so the next one will probably focus on Kagome.

And how many people remember Hatori? The young cat hanyou that showed up last time. I wanted to give him the ability to teleport to certain places, without actually using the word teleport, because I highly doubt it's the kind of word Sesshomaru, or anyone in the feudal era, would know.

Anyway, thanks for reading! I hope you guys continue to read it, 'cuz I really appreciate it. Please review! I love reviews! Thanks again, and ja ne!


	14. The Wolf

"Three days! It lasts three days, woman!"

Jaken stamped his foot, angry enough to be discussing womanly things, ready to snap because he had to repeat himself.

"All right, I wasn't paying attention." Kagome waved him away. Truthfully, she only asked again to annoy him, and heard him perfectly the first time. Her heat would last three days, and then Sesshomaru would be able to stand being around her again.

The kids were eating lunch, just hours after Sesshomaru had left. Because Jaken was the only mature youkai, and therefore the only one Kagome assumed had the answers, she asked him how long a typical youkai heat lasted. He answered curtly, and for that he got asked again, to her amusement. It was clear Jaken didn't like talking about those things.

"Mama, I still don't get what this heat thing is." Shippo frowned, putting his cucumber, courtesy of Kagome's mother, onto the plastic plates Kagome provided. "It's not that hot out, is it?"

"It's an inu youkai thing, sweetie," Kagome said, glad that Shippo was, as of yet, oblivious to the adult ways of the youkai world. Kagome herself wasn't fully sure of how the heat worked, but if it would tempt Sesshomaru _that_ way, she didn't want him around.

Only a week. A week since she'd been taken away from her old life. Kagome frowned, wondering if the tension with Sesshomaru would last forever. She was already tiring of it. And the legend of the Hana said that it paired those whose union would be for the greater good, but also those who would be truly happy with each other.

But Sesshomaru was the most asocial person she knew. He had to have some good to him, she knew, because he took in and cared for Rin. No one truly evil would do that. But his affection was reserved for certain individuals. Kagome wasn't one of them.

_He probably likes Jaken more than me, _Kagome thought, sighing. Was it too much to ask to at least have him tolerate her?

_**I think he will warm, in time.**_

Kagome's eyes widened, and she searched frantically for the source of the voice. But no scent came to her, and she sensed no auras in the area. There was only the group eating lunch.

"Are you all right, Miss Kagome?" Rin turned to her. "Is someone there?"

Kagome paused, and shook her head. "I just imagined it, I guess."

_**Guess again.**_

She was shocked by the voice again, but Kagome kept her cool this time. The voice didn't sound like it was coming from anywhere around her. Rather, it sounded from her own mind. _Who's there? _Kagome asked, wondering if she was going crazy. Perhaps the lack of anyone her own age to talk to had led to voices conjuring within her head.

_**I'm hurt,**_ the voice said sarcastically. _**You should know who I am. **_

_I should?_ It was more fun to talk to the crazy than ignore it.

_**I'm your inner youkai, **_the voice, which Kagome recognized as sounding like a more mature version of hers, said with sultry smugness. _**I am a part of you, only now manifested because you have become a youkai. I am the one who lays out the parts of your mind that you deny. **_

Kagome was having a hard time believing this, and was tempted to ask Jaken about it. But, on the risk that she actually was crazy and Jaken would berate her for stupid questions, she resigned to let the voice have its way.

_ Fine, then, _Kagome thought. _What do you want? _

_ **Getting to the point, huh?**_ The voice laughed. _**Well, I was going to tell you that even a cold man like Sesshomaru eventually warms up to a female if she sticks around long enough, but maybe I should forget it, if you're going to act that way. **_

_Yeah, right,_ Kagome thought. _He's as stubborn as his brother, and the only difference between them is that Sesshomaru's more sophisticated. _

_**His brother fell for you, didn't he?**_

Kagome frowned, and blushed at the implication. She didn't reply, not about to let a crazy voice tell her what to do or how something was going to happen.

Lunch was cleaned up, and the group set out, Shippo and Rin on Ah-Un, Kagome walking beside them, and Jaken walking ahead, claiming to know the most direct way to the castle.

"Hey, Jaken, about the heat-"

"No more questions about that! Figure out yourself, wench!" Jaken screeched. Kagome chuckled to herself. He was easy to mess with. She had to admit, Sesshomaru's tendency to beat Jaken must be as fun as this for him to do it constantly.

The day was quiet, and Kagome passed the time by singing songs in her head. She might have sung out loud, but it was a song that she did not know all of the lyrics to, because she had only heard it once on the radio. It was times like these that she wished she could use her music player from back home, but the battery only lasted about one day if used conservatively, and she didn't want to have to constantly go back to recharge it. _I could get a CD player and a bunch of batteries, _she thought, but that would require carrying the heavy batteries all the time.

"And that's how you play!" Shippo grinned at Rin. Rock, paper, scissors was his favorite game when there was nothing exciting going on. Rin mimicked the hand motions, giggling to herself.

"All right, then." She held her hand out. "Let's go!"

Kagome smiled. The kids were adorable, despite Rin being eleven and Shippo around ten. Kagome was never sure of his exact age, but he was slightly shorter than Rin, and a tad more childish. She loved him to death, no matter what, and wished he hadn't been pulled into this mess with her. A child needed stability and protection, and Shippo already had his life uprooted when his father was killed. At least Rin was here to keep him company.

A flash of intuition spiked in Kagome. She knew the feeling, honing in on it. Two jewel shards, traveling faster than physically possible for most youkai.

Except him.

It was obviously Koga, running around as usual. Kagome hadn't seen him since Inuyasha attacked him with the Wind Scar. She might have stopped him, but Inuyasha, at the time, had no issue with shoving Kagome aside to get to Koga and nearly killing him. The wolf barely escaped with his life. And when Kagome tried to lecture Inuyasha about it, he ran off to find Kikyo.

She missed the wolf. He didn't know about her change yet, and the last thing he'd said to her was that he wouldn't let an inconsiderate mutt keep her away. He was still pursuing her.

Kagome knew she should tell him about what happened. It was only a matter of time until he found out. Stepping up her pace, she turned to the group and said, "I can sense Koga in the area. I'm going to go talk about some things with him. You guys stay with Jaken and Ah-Un, all right?"

She didn't wait for an answer, turning away and breaking into a run. She relished in her youkai speed, the wind whipping her hair behind her, the sleeves of her shirt flapping noisily. Shippo would be able to explain about Koga, and she wasn't about to listen to Jaken's distant shouts.

The shards were swirling in an ever moving tornado. Kagome followed them with no hope of catching up, but shouted Koga's name into the forest to catch his attention. He would surely recognize her voice.

He did. The shards stopped moving, and backtracked. Kagome slowed and halted, ready to face the whirlwind of wolf. Something in the back of her mind itched, like she'd forgotten an important fact, but Kagome shrugged it off.

Koga was as handsome as ever, if a bit more rugged. Kagome had the sense that he was spending less time at home and more time out, which didn't surprise her. Food was scarce as of late. He probably had to hunt further and further out for his pack.

"Hi, Koga." Kagome smiled warmly, happy to be able to talk to him without interruptions.

Koga was breathless, from running or because of her new look, she couldn't tell. "Uh, hey, Kagome," he finally said, running a hand through his bangs. "I didn't expect to run into you. I didn't smell the mutt."

"I sensed your shards," she explained, "and chased after you a bit. My group is back there." She jerked her thumb behind her. "I still couldn't catch up," she said, laughing.

"Chased . . .?" Koga wrinkled his brow. But realization dawned a moment later. "You smell different," he said simply.

"Yeah." Kagome tried to laugh again, but it was forced. "I sorta, um, turned into a youkai."

Silence.

Koga leaned against a tree, surprise and disbelief crossing on his face. "What? H-how? I mean, you smell like it, yeah, and there's no way you could even get close to my speed, unless . . ." He tugged on his bangs. "You smell like an inu."

Kagome was hoping he wouldn't take it the wrong way. She watched him tug his hair, reminding her of an important detail. She pulled her bangs away from her face, revealing the crescent moon that marked her under Sesshomaru's family. "I _am_ an inu. I'm in a Mating Dance."

Koga frowned, and glared. "You mated that mutt?" His glare turned into a grimace. "_Him?_ I thought he wanted that undead bitch! And why in the hell did it turn into a youkai!"

"Huh?" Kagome moved her hands up defensively. "No, that crescent mark is for someone else. Inuyasha left. He had his chance." She hesitated, putting her hands down. "I'm not with him anymore."

Koga stood straight. "I've seen Inuyasha's brother, and that mark is because he's a part of the royal family. I'm sure Inuyasha has the same mark under all that hair. That's his mark on your forehead." He crossed his arms. "You don't need to lie to me, Kagome."

Kagome frowned as well. "Inuyasha doesn't have this mark. At least, I don't think so. I've never seen under his bangs." She shook her head. "My point is, this mark is from his older brother. Sesshomaru is the one I'm in a Mating Dance with."

His eyes went wide. "His older . . .? You mean that stuck up Lord of the West, the one I've heard people complain about because he has advisers doing his job while he spends his time hunting Naraku? He was a nonchalant _ass_ when I met him. I'd prefer the mutt because he has more emotion than that unfeeling prissy boy."

"Hey!" Kagome complained. "He cares for a little human girl, and he's tracking down the same guy that you are. Maybe he doesn't show emotion a lot of the time, and maybe he hates me, but don't bash him if you don't know him very well."

Koga scoffed. "I know him well enough. And why are you his mate if he hates you?"

She looked away. "It's the Hana no Shukumei, Koga. I'm not his mate by choice."

That shut him up. Koga stared at her, disbelieving. "I . . . I've heard of that." He turned to the ground in shame. "I know what it does. Ayame claims to have one. She says that flower I gave her when she was a kid never wilted, because it's one of the Hana no Shukumei. I've never seen it. She says she keeps it at home where it's safe." He turned to her, apologetic. "I didn't know you were forced into this."

"It's okay," Kagome said. "I just told you ten seconds ago. Anyone would question why I chose Sesshomaru. I guess a lot of people have a poor opinion of him as a person."

Koga snorted. "That's an understatement. My clan is one of the last wolf tribes, and I get called to a lot of these hoity-toity nobles meetings about land and hunting territory and crap." He held up two fingers. "I've met Sesshomaru twice, once at a meeting and once while traveling, and both times he acted like I was dirt. That guy thinks he's the most important person in the world, and everyone hates him for it."

Kagome turned away, ashamed. He made her feel like mating Sesshomaru was the worst decision of her life, even if she hadn't been the one to make the choice. "That's my future mate, Koga. That doesn't make me feel better about this situation."

"Oh." His face fell. "Yeah, of course, you're right. Sorry. I was just saying, he's not very friendly. And idea why the Hana chose him for you? And why are you a youkai, again? The Hana didn't do that, did it?" He was full of questions, but Kagome knew she owed him answers, after all he had done for her. He was a loyal friend, a noble ally, and one of the people to comfort her when she was in the worst stages of heartbreak.

She shifted her stance, less confident and more apologetic. "It did. I guess a miko and a youkai aren't compatible because the miko's powers will hurt the youkai if they get too close. The Hana transformed me into a youkai to prevent that. My youkai powers tame the miko side of me enough to get close to Sesshomaru without harming him."

"And you've accepted this?" He raised an eyebrow. "What does the mutt think? What do your friends think?"

"Inuyasha's all right with it." Kagome didn't want to mention the last stance he'd delivered to try and win her heart back. "My friends seem okay, too. I'm not traveling with them anymore, though." She sighed, once again reminded of how she missed them. "Sesshomaru insists on keeping an eye on me, and my friends certainly don't want to be around him."

"What!" Koga growled. "That guy can't boss you around like that. If you want to stay with your friend, stay with them. The Hana made the promise that you'd be his mate, but you never said anything about it. Tell him that you don't want to be with him."

She frowned, stepping closer to Koga. "But the Hana is a powerful force. I can't ignore it. We weren't paired because we're compatible, though I'm told that we _should_ be. It paired us together because our union will bring about something great. Inuyasha's parents were brought together so Inuyasha could be born, or so Myoga says. And he thinks my mating Sesshomaru could lead to something good."

"And that's an excuse to let him bully you?" His eyes narrowed. "It sounds like you're just letting him do what you want because of the Hana."

"I am not!" Kagome poked him in the chest. "I have stood up to him plenty of times. I'm still looking for the shards, and I get to visit my family, despite Sesshomaru not approving."

"And yet you let him take you away from your friends."

Kagome was about to say something, but closed her mouth. Had she ever asked if she could stay with her friends?

No, she had assumed Sesshomaru wouldn't let her. He'd said he wanted to keep an eye on her, and that obviously involved staying with him and not her own group. She never stood up for herself.

"I guess I did," she said slowly, realizing how she'd let Sesshomaru walk on her. She had accepted everything because of the Hana. But just because she was connected to him didn't mean she had to drop everything and do whatever Sesshomaru felt he needed her to do to keep his honor. "Damn it," she said, frowning. "I've let him boss me around. He thinks he can get away with making me do what he wants just because we're in a Mating Dance."

"That's my girl," Koga chuckled. "Show that pompous jerk what for. In the mean time, I have to go back to my pack. Some hanyou girl was trying to steal our food, and with the lack of food in the area, I can't have that. See you later." He grinned and saluted her. "Good luck taking charge with him."

"Thanks, Koga." Kagome smiled back. "It's nice to talk with you."

He nodded. "Yep." He turned to leave, but stopped, facing her again. "And, Kagome? Next time you're in heat, it would be a good idea not to walk up to any male youkai. Even a friend like me can have a hard time controlling himself around a breed-able female." He turned away, vanishing in a tornado of speed.

Kagome stared, and giggled. Koga was right, she had been careless about the heat. But he gave her advice that she would always appreciate.

She wouldn't let Sesshomaru, or the Hana, control her life anymore.

()

Hi, everyone! Thanks for reading! This chapter focused on Kagome, and as you can see, she's having doubts about her situation. The story is starting to shift from the previous incarnation, and it's hard to tell where I'm going to take it. But I'll have fun working it out :)

Thanks again, and please review! I love reviews! I'll be sure to update next week, so stay tuned. Ja ne!


	15. The New Friend

Jaken was right. Three days, exactly. Every morning, Kagome asked him if she was still in heat, as she couldn't detect her own scent, and it was the fourth morning that he informed her it was gone.

Kagome was glad. She wouldn't have to worry about male youkai pouncing at her. Not that it had been much of a problem over the past few days, but once she'd had to shoot a rather ghoulish looking chap that attacked while they were sleeping. Her hakama had suffered some damage, and she wore a new, deep green one until she could go home and retrieve some string to sew it.

The fourth day without Sesshomaru, they arrived at the castle. Kagome was mildly surprised, but not entirely, as she expected extravagance from the lord. Youkai guards at the gate, youkai servants in the courtyard, youkai maids inside. Youkai everywhere.

Sesshomaru hated humans enough to keep them out of his life entirely. Kagome didn't miss this, and she frowned. She might not be human anymore, but she certainly didn't feel like a youkai, and knowing how much he hated humans irked her.

But she wouldn't have to be around him much longer. She was going to be assertive. Neither the Hana nor Sesshomaru would keep her from her friends. And he could get pissed if he liked, she was a powerful miko and would not be intimidated.

A woman awaited them at the front gate. She had bright yellow hair, too bright to be a simple human blond. Her eyes were green, a neko's eyes, that flashed with knowledge. She gave a warm smile, bowing when they approached. Her hair fell forward, revealing long, pointed ears. Kagome liked her already.

"Guide her to a room. I am going to Lord Sesshomaru." Jaken, giving Ah-Un to a male servant, waltzed away. Kagome rolled her eyes at the imp.

"Come on!" Rin grabbed Shippo and rushed to who knew where. Kagome laughed, and turned to face the neko youkai, who was smiling again.

"Good afternoon, milady. I am pleased to make your acquaintance." She bowed again. "I will be serving you during your stay. After you have situated yourself, his lordship informed me that he would like you to see him in his office."

"Oh?" Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Well, good. I wanted to chat with him." She looked the servant over. She was pretty, and young. She couldn't be a day over fifteen. "If you'll be helping me, may I have your name?"

The girl looked stunned, but pleased. "It is Koneko, milady. Thank you for asking."

Kagome smiled. "You're welcome. And call me Kagome."

The inside of the building was impressive as well. Tapestries adorning the walls. Expensive vases holding exotic flowers. Dark wood and the scents of many people. Kagome took it in with her eyes and nose, appreciating the architecture. Whoever built the castle had good taste.

"It would seem that the rumors are true," Koneko whispered.

"Rumors?" Kagome stepped closer to her. "What rumors?"

Koneko smiled, but looked away, ashamed to be heard. "I meant no offense, milady. I was merely thinking of the word that his lordship had taken a mate. I can see the family mark hidden under your bangs."

Oh, that was it. Sesshomaru, the cold daiyoukai that refused to let anyone close to him, would certainly turn heads if any news of a mate cropped up. It didn't faze her.

"I am marked as his," Kagome admitted, "but I do not belong to him, in any way." She would not let anyone think she was just some girl following Sesshomaru's instructions. "The Hana no Shukumei brought me to Sesshomaru."

"So those rumors are true, as well." Koneko closed her eyes, and opened them, smiling. "I am happy, then. The Hana no Shukumei brings together those that would be truly happy with one another. His lordship has been closed off for so many years, I began to believe he would never find joy."

Kagome was silent, not for Koneko's words, but for her expression. Tears spilled down her face as she spoke, landing on her servant's garments and darkening them with moisture. She tried to wipe them away, but failed, and let them come.

And the miko recognized heartbreak on her face. She tugged the neko closer, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. Koneko tried to hold the tears back, but it was futile.

Servants around them stopped to glance, but hurried on when they saw what was happening. It was not the first time they had seen Koneko's tears fall, but it was the first time she had done so openly, where others could easily see her watery eyes.

After a moment, she pulled away from Kagome, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "T-thank you, milady. I do not deserve the kindness you show me."

"Nonsense!" Kagome looked her in the eye. "It's the least I can do. I mean . . . you're in love with him, aren't you?"

Koneko turned away. She was tired of the constant aching of her heart, and revealing the feelings to a near stranger was not her idea of a good time. But something about the miko made her want to trust her. To confess to everything she had been holding inside for years.

She began to cry again. "Please, milady, if we must talk, may I escort you to your room, where others will not watch?"

A few minutes later, Kagome was in one of the most extravagant Japanese bedrooms she had ever seen, but the silk curtains and western canopy bed did not interest her. She was far more concerned with Koneko.

They sat on the bed now, Koneko perching on the edge, after insisting that she shouldn't have the honor of sitting on the bed at all, and Kagome's disregard of the comment. Her tears had stopped, for now, and she struggled to compose herself. She had not broken down so suddenly in years, but the news of the Hana had shaken her deeply. And to cry about such a subject in front of his mate shamed her intensely.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you," Kagome said once they were settled. "I had no idea . . ."

"It is I who must apologize, Lady Kagome." Koneko took a deep breath. "It has been a while since I last cried that way."

"May I ask why you feel that way? I don't mean to be rude or anything." Kagome shifted closer, placing her hand on Koneko's. "It's just, Sesshomaru isn't the most likable person around. The people I know who have met him speak lowly of his manners." She remembered Inuyasha, with his insults, and Koga, who had no reason to hate him, and still did. And she herself hadn't forgotten about the times Sesshomaru tried to kill her, in the early days of her travel with his brother.

Koneko sighed, a tiny noise barely above a whisper. "Everyone asks me that. Most of the servants respect him, some revere him. But no one loves him. He is too terrifying. And I know he does that on purpose, instills fear in others to ensure that he is seen as strong.

"But I cannot help loving him. Four years ago, I was on the brink of poverty, about to starve. And he agreed to let me work for him. Allowed me to live in the servants' quarters, eat the leftover food from the kitchen. He said none of this to me directly, but that he would tolerate my presence, given the tales of his cold nature, was enough to amaze me.

"I would watch him when I could, probably because I was infatuated. Like any other female that first spent time around him, his beauty captured me. Unlike the other females, however, his curtness and cruelty did not deter me from pursuing him.

"On the contrary, I pitied him. It is a lonely creature indeed that does not show love. And I eventually overcame my infatuation with his looks, seeing into the deeper part of him. He did not have a loving family. Women fawned over him only for the position that being his mate offered. He had been taught from a young age that kindness was weak, and the lesson was solidified after his father died for the human he loved."

Koneko stopped here, contemplating her words. "I do not know when my quiet observations turned into genuine affection. And I am fairly sure Lord Sesshomaru is aware of my feelings. He would no sooner sully his family name with a servant than cut off his own hand, and I have no hope that he would ever return my feelings. But . . ."

Kagome answered for her. "When you heard about the Hana, you knew any chance you might have had, however slim, was gone?" Kagome knew what it was to have your hopes dashed. Through the fights and indecision, the harsh words and fleeting kindness, she had loved Inuyasha deeply, and always hoped he would ultimately choose her. The moment he revealed his choice, Kagome felt as if she might break with the simplest movement. It was one thing to pine away in silence, but to have your love taken away, to know there was no chance of a forever with them, was complete hell.

How ironic that Inuyasha had eventually picked her, just in time for Kagome to be unavailable.

Now was the time to focus on Koneko, though. At least she wasn't crying anymore. "I'm sorry," the neko said again. "I should be able to control my emotions in front of others."

"It's more than all right." Kagome gently patted her shoulder. "I understand how you feel. I've been heartbroken before, and it's awful. But it'll get better." She did her best to smile. "I promise."

"Thank you. The Hana must choose who it does, I suppose." Koneko tucked her hair behind her ear. "I am glad to be in the service of such a compassionate noblewoman."

Kagome had to laugh at that. Seeing Koneko's expression, she stopped, holding her giggles. "Koneko, I'm not a noblewoman. I'm a commoner. Sesshomaru hates me because the Hana has forced him to mate with someone below his status." She shook her head, sighing. "To be honest, if I could, I would switch positions with you."

Koneko laughed at that, too. "How interesting. And," she said, warmth filling her face again, "it is a slight comfort to know his choice for a mate was not his own. I am sure you would be a wonderful mate, as you have shown incredible kindness to a servant such as myself, but his lordship does not seem the type to choose a miko."

"Huh?" Kagome frowned. "How did you know that I'm a miko?"

"It is obvious in the way you walk," Koneko said. "You have the walk like a bowman. But the only women who use bows, that I have met, are always mikos. However," her brow crinkled, "I have never met a _youkai_ miko."

Kagome sighed, and decided she might as well tell Koneko the entire story. She seemed like a good person to have as a friend, especially since she wasn't jealous of Kagome being with her lord.

When she finished, Koneko sat back, staring at the decorative top of her canopy bed. "Such an eventful life story," she said. "I wish I could be a brave warrior like you."

"No, you don't," Kagome said, laughing. "It's a lot of work. And now I'm stuck with a mate I don't particularly like. I'm sure he has his good qualities," she added, seeing Koneko frown, "but he has never shown them to me. I know he hates the fact that I was human, and that he was forced to be with me."

"Lord Sesshomaru is indeed the stubborn type." Koneko shook her head. "But if the Hana chose you for his mate, you must be compatible in some respect. It would not put together two people who do not belong with one another." She faced Kagome, understanding and wisdom beyond her years in the bright irises. "That is why, although I may feel jealousy toward you, I cannot be angry with you. You are destined to be with his lordship, and you will be the one to make him the happiest."

That thought made Kagome pause. She had never heard it put that way. People always said the Hana put together those that were destined to be, whose union would create something to benefit the world. Inuyasha's parents had brought a son that would hopefully defeat the evil that was Naraku. If Koga's tale of Ayame and her flower was to be believed, their mating would also be something powerful. It was all in terms of power, fate, what the gods wanted.

No one had spoken of the two bringing each other happiness.

Koneko, despite easily crying when upset, contained wisdom behind her neko eyes. She was in love with Sesshomaru. She thought his mating with Kagome would be good, not because it would benefit the world, but because it should make him happy.

Kagome found it hard to believe. But suddenly, she was no longer sure of her decision to be assertive with Sesshomaru, to demand that she be with her friends, after being inspired by Koga. Now she was forced to see it from Koneko's perspective. The Hana was here, not just to right the evil in the world with the love of spiritually and physically strong people, but to make those people _happy._

"It is like a soul mate," Koneko continued, watching Kagome in her silence. "Your minds and souls are perfectly matched, even if you cannot believe it. The Hana no Shukumei is rare, Lady Kagome, and you should treasure the gift, even if it may seem like a curse in the beginning."

She was completely shaken, unable to think of a response for Koneko. Finally, she said, "Thank you. For giving me another way to look at it." Kagome drew in a deep breath. "Everyone keeps telling me how the Hana is here to fix the evil in the world by bringing people together. It sounded like a prophecy, and I was suddenly part of it. It was a job, a duty to stay with Sesshomaru." She looked Koneko in the eye. "I never thought about how happy it should make me to have someone that I'm destined for. I never thought about how rare this is, how lucky I really am."

Koneko smiled a little. "I wish I could have someone destined for me."

Kagome nodded, but frowned. "This doesn't change how cruel he's been, though. He's ignored me, even tried to kill me in the past, when our goals were different. He resents my human heritage. What am I supposed to do with that? And there's so much left to do. There are shards to find, an evil menace out there to stop. I can't focus on that with worries about Sesshomaru in the background."

She looked to the neko. The servant shrugged, smiling apologetically. "I am afraid I do not have an answer for that. I am by no means an expert in love."

Kagome sat back, and nodded. "You're right. I apologize. I've just met you, and I'm looking to you for help. I shouldn't be doing that. But your eyes look so wise, Koneko. They remind me of a friend of mine, a woman named Kaede. She is wise, as well, and someone I look up to." Kagome hesitated, and put a hand on her shoulder. "I think we could be good friends, if you want to be."

Koneko stared, eyes wide with disbelief. "Why, Lady Kagome, I would be honored! To be friends with the future Lady of the West is something I only dreamed of, knowing Sesshomaru would never belong to me."

"Then it's settled." Kagome grinned. "I promise not to talk about Sesshomaru too much, if it bothers you. I know it might bother me."

Koneko shook her head. "I have never had a friend close to my age, and I would enjoy talking about such things with you. I love his lordship, but I would never be seriously bothered if it was your wish to speak about any dilemmas with him."

Kagome sensed that this wasn't the whole truth, but she could ignore the supportive lie. Koneko was a nice girl, and would be good company for her time at the castle. She had a deep insight to the ways of the world.

And something crossed Kagome's mind, something she'd forgotten the moment Koneko started crying in the hall. "Oh, my gosh," she said, "I completely forgot about meeting with Sesshomaru!"

()

Chapter fifteen! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.

It's a little tough, but I'm trying to get Kagome to understand why she should try harder to like Sesshomaru. I want rounded out characters that don't stick to the same perspective all the time. Unfortunately, that's annoying to do, because they're both stubborn characters .

Koneko is actually a cameo of another FF author I admire. She'll have a larger role as the story progresses, but it irks me a little to have to use another 'K' name. The next character that joins will have a name with an 'R' XD

Thanks a bunch for reading, and I hope to see you all next week. Please review! Ja ne!


	16. The Meeting

Sesshomaru was losing his patience.

He had been told his associates arrived an hour ago, and that Kagome was informed of his wish to meet with her. But she had yet to come anywhere near his office. She was trying his nerves, and he would not have it. Sesshomaru prepared himself to stand and command the nearest servant to find her.

The door opened before he could move, and he detected the familiar scent of a certain miko, no longer in heat.

Kagome poked her head in, smiling sheepishly. "I apologize, Sesshomaru, for taking this long. I got caught up in something, and forgot that I was told to meet with you." She closed the door, sitting politely across from him at the desk. It was covered in land treaties, crop yield information, and letters from other lords about the recent lack of animals for hunting. Everything he had missed while he was gone.

Sesshomaru might have liked to be here more often to deal with these things, but his initial hunting of the hanyou, and the current hunting of the spider youkai, kept him away. It was only during intermissions of several days at a time that he could go over any papers.

But for now, he had to deal with the miko. She looked around his office, at the piles of papers and the traditionally painted artwork left on the walls by his father. Sesshomaru would have disposed of them if the Lord of the North hadn't insisted on keeping them there. Apparently his father had put them up specifically for the northern ruler to look at, and so Sesshomaru left them alone. Kagome peered at the paintings for a few moments, before turning to face him.

"What is it you wanted to speak about?" she asked, brushing her hair back. Her bangs moved, showing the mark of his family emblazoned on her forehead. Sesshomaru hated to see the reminder of his bind with the girl.

Sesshomaru shuffled some papers. "I am telling you now, before you bother me, which I am sure you would at some point, that my stays at the castle are brief and busy. Therefore, you must stay away from me, and any questions can be directed to Jaken or one of my other advisers. Understood?" He looked up, expecting her to be ruffled with anger about his assumption that he could shove her aside. The angrier she got with his attitude, the sooner she would leave and he could live in peace.

She wasn't angry. Or rather, she was, but she controlled it. Her eyebrows raised with surprise, knitted together with annoyance, but returned to normal as she calmed herself. "You know," Kagome said, "when I first came to the castle, I was going to tell you that I didn't want to stay around you anymore, because you don't have the right to take me away from my friends just because you want to protect your family honor." She straightened herself. "But someone else made me realize that I've been selfish about the situation."

For a few seconds, Sesshomaru thought he might be getting what he hoped, and that Kagome would leave because she missed her friends and disliked being around him. His family honor would recover if she left, and, in his mind, having her around could only become more tiresome. However, her last words foiled that hope.

"Because," she continued, "we were stuck together by the Hana, I thought I had a right to be mad. I had to stay with you so you could watch me, because abandoning a Mating Dance would smudge your reputation. And I felt obligated to obey. The Hana was obviously something I shouldn't doubt, as a force of the gods and fate itself. But the fact that I hadn't chosen any of this annoyed me, especially because you were the last person I expected to end up with. No offense," she added hastily.

Sesshomaru was hardly fazed. He nodded slightly for her to continue.

"And," she said, "an old friend of mine, someone I happened upon on the way here, told me that I should stick up for myself, even if fate has given me an unpleasant situation. He told me that if I wanted to stay with my friends, I should tell you that."

The inu youkai was growing impatient. Her words seemed to have no point.

"But after I arrived, ready to tell you what my friend said I should, I met someone, and she helped open my eyes." Kagome took a deep breath. "You may hate me. You might even kill me if I do something to offend you. But this, this thing," she said, gesturing to her mark, "is something that was given to us. Not only would our mating be good for the world, but we're supposed to be compatible. We're supposed to make each other happy. It's a _blessing_. I never saw that before." Her eyes clouded with guilt. "I was being selfish about this. I apologize."

His anger at this moment could not be rivaled.

Sesshomaru wanted to smash his desk in half. She wasn't fed up with him, she didn't want to leave and reunite with her friends, she wanted to _stay._ Because she felt this mating _was a gift. _

_**And her attitude about this is much better than yours! **_The inner youkai growled at him. _**She even tried to leave for her friends, but stopped herself when she realized how special your situation is. Get that? She is more willing to stay with the **_**king of all jerks **_**than go back to those she cares about because she wants to give this unique opportunity a chance. **_

_And I'm supposed to sympathize with that? I would rather she leave and stop harassing me. _

_**Then tell her that. Right now. I dare you. **_

He would have done just that. On all the power stored within his ten claws, he would have ordered her that moment to take her kit, leave, and never come back, because obviously his mating to a former human wasn't important, no matter what the Hana no Shukumei said.

But he couldn't. Sesshomaru opened his mouth, but the words froze on his tongue. _Damn it,_ he thought, _are you doing this to me?_

His inner youkai was unamused. _**Me? Please. I don't have any power over your physical body, and you know it. **_

Sesshomaru tried to say the words again, but nothing came out. Kagome wondered why he was being silent for so long, and why his lips kept parting when he wasn't talking to her.

The inu might have looked like a goldfish flapping its mouth, were he not elegant and handsome. It didn't matter how hard he focused on rejecting Kagome and sending her packing, the words continued to stick in his throat. Sesshomaru had never experienced anything like it, and was quickly growing frustrated.

"Are you all right?" Kagome leaned closer. "You're not sick, are you?"

"Inu youkai do not get sick," he growled. "Stay away from me. I think it would be better for everyone if you would-"

Once again, the words would not come. Sesshomaru wanted to pound the table, but that would be incredibly childish and ungentlemanly. He would not resort to random acts of anger simply because, for some reason, he could not tell the miko to leave.

"Huh?" Kagome's brow knit together. "Sesshomaru, what's the matter? Are you mad at me?" It bothered her that his only response to her apology was to either sit silently or stop himself mid sentence. "You don't like the idea of this being a good thing," she said, sighing. "I should leave." She stood, heading for the door. Sesshomaru didn't stop her, glad not to have to talk anymore.

Kagome turned, frowning. "I thought we could try, Sesshomaru. Neither of us like each other, but this is supposed to make us happy, and I wondered if maybe this could work. I wanted to _try. _But I guess that's asking too much." More tired than anything else, Kagome opened the door, gave Sesshomaru one last look, and left.

He should have been glad that she was out of his hair. But instead of that, Sesshomaru had a strange feeling that he hadn't experienced since he first met Rin, when the child had left him sitting in the clearing, only to come back later with food. The feeling that she might never return.

()

Perhaps she should have told him off. She could have told him that he was a tyrant to make her stay away from her friends, and that she was going back to them, no matter what he said.

And she didn't. It wasn't just what Koneko had said, though she was grateful for her opinion. She had wanted to apologize and let Sesshomaru know that this wasn't something to be ignored or looked down upon. But the words about trying, trying to make it work and trying to not despise each other, were not something she had planned to say. They came out of nowhere, and yet, Kagome felt they were the truth. She didn't _want_ to hate Sesshomaru, if she could help it.

_**He doesn't respect you. **_

Kagome halted. It was that voice again. What was it called? Right, her inner youkai. The idea of a voice in her head disturbed her.

_**Be nice, **_the voice said, clearly insulted. _**I'm here to help you gain some perspective.**_

_Thanks, but right now I'm a little peeved that Sesshomaru is making no effort whatsoever towards this. I'm still not thrilled about the mating, but at least I want to try and make it work. _

_**He wants to try too, **_it said. _**You haven't noticed the signs. He listens to you much more than he listens to anyone else he interacts with. **_

Kagome scoffed at that. _He listens to me more than Jaken, which is hardly anything. He wouldn't even answer me when I apologized back there. And he didn't want the apology to begin with. _

_**Stop being so cynical. Did it ever occur to you that he couldn't think of a rebuttal, he was so surprised that you apologized? **_

It hadn't. Kagome continued walking to her room while she thought about it. It wasn't like Sesshomaru to be surprised by anything, let alone show it. But there wasn't much else to explain why he kept looking like he would say something yet continued to be silent. She opened the door to her room, thumping onto the bed.

_Even if Sesshomaru was too surprised by my apology to say anything, that doesn't mean he wants to try for this, too, _she thought._ I know Koneko was right about not letting a unique chance like this go to waste, but I wouldn't even know where to start with appealing to him. I don't know what he likes, and he certainly won't want to talk about it and tell me. _

_**He likes power. **_

Kagome sat up. _Power?_

The voice sounded pleased. _**Yes, power. He respects those that are strong, and understands those that want to gain power. Maybe you can ask him to show you how to handle your new youkai abilities. You need help learning about them anyway. **_

She thought about it for a moment. That would probably be the only situation where Sesshomaru would talk to her, and she would be able to control her youkai powers better. If she was lucky, maybe she could get to know Sesshomaru and find something about him that she liked. If she was luckier, he might see something in her that he respected, if not liked.

"Lady Kagome?"

She was snapped out of her thoughts, looking to the door. That was Koneko's voice.

"Yes?" she answered, glad for a distraction.

"There is someone here to see you," Koneko said from behind the door. "He said he came a few days ago and was told to come back later because you weren't here." A pause. "His name is Hatori, and he is anxious about seeing you."

Kagome stood, opening the door. Koneko jumped, but smoothed out a moment later. Kagome smiled at her before looking for the guest. "Is he here?"

"I'm afraid I am shorter than you expected, Lady Kagome."

She looked down, and saw someone almost as adorable as Shippo. He was a little shorter than the fox kit, with green hair tied into a low ponytail, and red eyes that would have been scary if his smile were not so charming. The feline ears on his head twitched.

"Another neko youkai," Kagome said, kneeling to meet his eye. "It's nice to meet you, Hatori."

Hatori thrust his hand out, and Kagome shook it gingerly. "I am glad to meet you as well," he said, "but I must say, I am not a neko youkai. I am a neko hanyou."

She paused, and took in his scent. He was right, it smelled a little like Koneko, but also a bit like Rin. Human and youkai mixed together. "Well," she said, standing, "is there something I can help you with?"

At this, he hesitated. "I . . . well, my mother told me to come to you. That she had seen you traveling and that you did good deeds. She said that just before she . . . before she died." Hatori choked on the last word, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

Maternal instinct kicked in, and Kagome knelt to hold him against her. "You poor child," she cooed. "I'm so sorry."

"Mother said you would help me find a new place to live," Hatori muttered, clutching her shirt. "I was so happy when the guards let me in to see you. They said Lord Sesshomaru told them to allow me inside."

Kagome stopped hugging him tightly, pulling away to look at his face. "Sesshomaru?" She frowned. "He allowed you in?"

Hatori wiped his eyes on his sleeves. "Yes. I came here a few days ago, when you were absent. He told me not to come back until you were here because he didn't want to be bothered. So I watched the castle and waited. When I saw you come in with the dragon and those kids, I was really happy. And it made me even happier when the guards let me inside. When I asked, they said Sesshomaru ordered them to, so they wouldn't have to call him if I arrived here again."

_Oh. _Kagome had hoped Sesshomaru wasn't being selfish for a change. Rather, he'd given the order because he didn't want to be pestered with it again. It made sense that he had a selfish reason for almost anything.

_**Hey,**_ the inner youkai said, starling her, _**you have to think better of him, or you'll end up hating him for the rest of your life. **_

Ignoring the voice, she faced Hatori again. "Okay," she said, "come in here, and tell me all about your problem." She picked the small boy up and set him on the bed, smiling gently. "I'd be more than happy to help."

Hatori nodded, wiping the watering eyes again. "Thank you, Lady Kagome."

()

Hi, everyone. This chapter is a little late, because I was busy this weekend. But I hope you guys liked it, and thanks for reading! No time to chat right now, so please review and tell me what you think, and I hope to see you next time. Ja ne!


	17. The Training

It was right of Hatori to seek Kagome out. That was what Kagome thought, even if Sesshomaru did not agree.

"He doesn't have a _home, _Sesshomaru." She put a hand on the boy's head. "His mother told him to see me because she thought I could help. Can't we at least let him stay here until his grandfather arrives?" Kagome frowned at the inu.

Sesshomaru continued with his paperwork. Kagome bursting into his office, holding the neko hanyou, was irritating enough. But for her to ask if the hanyou could live here was too much. "I do not enjoy housing a hanyou," he said, not looking up. "He can find another home to use."

"But Hatori already sent a traveling friend of his with a message that he's staying here." Kagome fondled the little neko ears, the feel reminding her of Inuyasha. "You have a thousand rooms in this place. It wouldn't be any trouble to let him stay in one."

"A hanyou here would tarnish my image," he said simply. "I cannot take that risk."

She wanted to stamp her foot like a child, but Kagome settled for quiet fuming. She'd forgotten about the awkward talk they had had earlier, when she came into Sesshomaru's office cuddling an upset Hatori. But the poor child had no home, his village and family destroyed by dragon youkai. It wouldn't kill him to give Hatori shelter for some time. "If you really wanted to keep your reputation," she said, "you would tell me to leave, since having a former human as a mate would taint the_ family honor_."

The sarcasm did not sit well with Sesshomaru, and he glared. "Woman, you try my patience." He glanced at the hanyou, curled in Kagome's arms. "Fine," he spat, "Do what you like."

She smirked, and set Hatori down. "Koneko said you can take to room next to mine," she told him. "I'll keep you safe until your grandfather arrives, all right?"

Hatori beamed, and hugged her around the waist. "Thank you, Lady Kagome!"

"Why don't you find Shippo and Rin, and play with them?" she suggested. "They're a lot of fun, I promise." He nodded, and scampered out of the room. Kagome faced Sesshomaru again.

He was back to paperwork, wishing he could tell Kagome off. Minutes after she left, he began pondering why he could not command her to leave, and came to the conclusion that it was the Hana, once again.

After all, it bound them with the power of the gods, turned Kagome into a youkai, and started the complicated process of the Mating Dance of its own volition. It was not a stretch to assume it would stop one of them from forcing the other out of the mating. With this in mind, he growled internally.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome crept closer to his desk. "Look, I'm sorry about all that, but Hatori really _does_ need a place to stay. And . . ." She hesitated. "I have a favor to ask."

As if he would grant it. But Sesshomaru decided to humor her. "What is it?" he asked curtly, sorting papers. The number of complaints about the shortage of animals to hunt was frustratingly high.

Listening to the advice of her inner youkai, Kagome took a deep breath, and said, "I was hoping to learn about my youkai powers."

Sesshomaru said nothing.

She continued, "I wanted to know if you would be willing to help me with that. You're the only one I know who would be able to teach me."

At this, he paused. Sesshomaru looked up. "You want me to teach you about youkai powers."

Kagome nodded, unsure if he would reject the request. "Please? I want to master my youkai abilities and become strong as both a miko and an inu."

There was a long silence. Kagome dare not say anything, lest he say no and she lose any chance she might have had at possibly connecting with him. If they were going to be mates, they _had_ to find a way to get along, even if that was only through battle training.

Sesshomaru set his brush and ink down, considering the question. It was the only thing the miko had asked of him that made sense. Control was power, and power meant you could get what you wanted. It was the principal he had been taught since birth. He could understand Kagome wanting to learn about her new powers.

_**Kagome doesn't have the same motivations as you!**_ His inner youkai snarled. _**She's obviously using the only thing she knows about you as a way to spend time together. Face it, the only thing anyone could possible know about you is how much you like fighting. **_

_She does not care about me enough to try and 'spend time' with me,_ Sesshomaru snapped back, while looking away from Kagome to feign deep thought.

_**And all that about wanting to give the Mating Dance a shot? Apologizing and talking about not giving up such a unique chance? She's trying harder than you are. Accept the damn offer and stop being prideful for once. **_

As much as he didn't care for his inner youkai, Sesshomaru gave thought to the words. Perhaps he could humiliate Kagome and make her leave without having to tell her to, seeing as that was now impossible. The training could be a good opportunity to refresh his own skill, as well.

"Fine," he answered.

Kagome's eyes widened. "R-really?" she asked. "You mean it?"

His annoyance spiked, but he ignored it and said, "Yes. We can begin at dawn tomorrow morning. Now leave, I have work to do."

She couldn't believe he'd said yes. She thought he would comment on how he could never train with such a weakling, and dismiss her. _I guess he can still surprise me,_ she thought.

()

"Lady Kagome? . . . Lady Kagome!"

She jumped, and groaned with bleary eyes. After rubbing them, Kagome saw Koneko standing next to her bed, a tray lined with food in her hands. "Too early," Kagome mumbled, pulling to covers over her head. She was used to getting up early, whenever Inuyasha caught Naraku's scent and there wasn't time to sleep in, but the bed in her room was particularly comfortable, and she didn't want to leave it.

Koneko laughed, setting the tray on the table next to the bed. "Lady Kagome, you instructed me to get you up before dawn so you would have ample time to prepare for meeting Lord Sesshomaru in the dojo." She cut an orange in half with a knife, and, pulling the sheets away, offered a glass of water to Kagome. "The more you sleep, the less you'll want to get up."

Kagome yawned, and sat up, looking to the tray. "Thank you very much," she said, yawning again. "I love oranges." She moved to take the fruit, but hesitated. "Koneko?" She peered at the servant, who had begun picking up stray clothes and tidying. "Is this all right?"

"What, my lady?" Koneko tossed some clothes near the door to pick up on her way out.

"Me, training with Sesshomaru. Does it bother you?"

Koneko smiled. "Lady Kagome," she said, brushing a fly off the desk, "I am privileged for you to speak with me in more than orders. Do not worry about my infatuation getting in the way of your mating."

"Hmm." Kagome broke off a piece of bread from the roll on the tray. "If you say so."

She ate breakfast slowly, wondering what the day would be like, while Koneko, despite Kagome's insistence, continued cleaning her room. Munching on the orange, Kagome thought, _I wish I could know what he's planning to do. _

_**At least you get to spend some time together. **_

Kagome had grown used to the inner youkai by this point, but it still disturbed her slightly. It felt like she had multiple personality disorder.

_I suppose, _she thought. _It might be nice to interact for longer than a few minutes. _

After finishing breakfast and sending Koneko out, Kagome opened her closet to look for an appropriate training outfit. Koneko had informed her that there should be several suitable outfits in her closet, but when Kagome opened it, it was so full of clothes that she almost fainted.

"Geez Louise," she muttered, pushing some of the kimonos aside. "There's way too much stuff in here." The kimonos were of all shades and colors, mostly the deeper colors that were more expensive because of the intense dying required. She sifted through them for some time, before finally finding something she could wear.

It was a shirt with short sleeves, much better for training that a long sleeved, heavy shirt, dyed black with red dragon patterns sewn into it. Beside it was a matching pair of black pants, worn with loose ankles to provide extra movement, rather than the ballooned pants Sesshomaru wore. Happy with her find, Kagome quickly donned it and left to find the dojo.

She had been told it was on the land behind the castle, far beyond the courtyard because of the noise, and it was easy enough to find. The building was only one floor, with a high ceiling and a tall door. Upon entering, she was struck with the number of weapons on the walls. Swords, daggers, and knives of every kind were on prominent display for anyone who came in.

Sesshomaru was on the far side, across from the door, wearing a thin haori with no coloring and pants that held a bright green emblem on the hip. Looking at it for a moment, Kagome saw the emblem was actually a green inu youkai contained in a lighter green smoke. _Odd, _she thought. _Green isn't his color._

He looked up, expressionless as usual, and unsurprised by her outfit. It was a traditional training outfit for female inu youkai, but the dragons sewn onto it were something he did not recall seeing on a training outfit before. Her hair was done in a high ponytail for convenience, a style he had not seen her wear before. It helped her cheekbones stand out, and made the color in her cheeks more prominent.

Sesshomaru straightened his sleeves, facing her. "You have arrived early."

"Yes," Kagome replied, stopping a few feet before him and gazing at the weaponry on the wall. "I asked Koneko to get me up early for this. I was pleasantly surprised when I found I could see in the dark." She smiled, but Sesshomaru did not react.

Instead, Sesshomaru brought his hand up, and summoned his poison claws. They sizzled with green energy, dripping and burning the floor beneath. "This," he said, "is my unique power, inherited from my father. Each inu youkai family has a power that is passed from father to son, and mother to daughter, by blood." He put his hand down, the poison evaporating. "Because you do not have any true inu heritage, we will put off discovering what your talent is until further in the training.

"For now," he continued, "we will practice with one of the simpler moves, the whip of light."

Kagome listened patiently, frowning at the 'true' inu heritage comment, and nodding at the end. "All right," she said, "How do I do that?"

Widening his stance and bringing up his hand again, Sesshomaru said, "It can be done with either hand. I use my right hand, as I did even before my arm was severed." He stepped to the side of Kagome, extending his pointer finger and thumb toward the far wall. "It does not take focus to perform a harmless whip, but to produce one that will damage is difficult and takes time. We will start with the simple version."

A bit stunned that he hadn't thrown any insults at her yet, Kagome watched as he flicked his hand the slightest amount, producing a long whip, and swirled it in a circle in front of him. It was like a gymnast twirling ribbon, but Sesshomaru made it look puissant rather than elegant.

"It only takes a miniscule amount of energy and the ability to picture the whip in your mind." Sesshomaru flicked his hand again, the whip vanishing into nothing. "I expect you to be able to do it easily," he said, facing her.

She nodded, doing as he had and facing the wall head on. Closing her eyes, she focused her energy. The world became lost to Kagome.

Kagome couldn't hear any sounds. As if something was guiding her, she began to twist her body, and her hand gleamed blue with a whip. Part of her knew she should have stayed still, as Sesshomaru had, but the other part of her was pounding with an unknown rhythm that she would not disobey. She spun and leaped, in a way that most people would have to practice years to accomplish.

Sesshomaru watched as Kagome danced to music that only she could hear. She picked up speed, twirling the whip above her head and spinning on one leg. Sesshomaru was surprised at how well she was doing for her first time, and all with her eyes closed. He would have expected her to crash into something by now.

He soon found himself entranced by her.

Kagome could envision each step just before she took it, as if a strange force was instructing her. It felt like she was on air. She felt the force that had been guiding her, telling her something new. Kagome obeyed the force, and stopped spinning, still twirling the whip. She focused and brought the whip down with more force than she knew she had.

And blew up half the dojo.

()

Chapter seventeen! Hi, everyone. This chapter had to be a little shorter, and it almost didn't get finished at all. I've been so busy lately . Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter. Kagome is on her way to discovering her inu powers, and we'll see how well Sesshomaru handles that *wink*

I don't have much time, but thanks for reading, and stay tuned for another chapter next week. And as always, please review! :)

Thanks again, and ja ne!


	18. The Talk

Kagome stood, facing the expanse of forest, and the castle beyond that. Where there had been a door and large wall, now there was nothing. Birds chirped in the distance, and part of her noticed a rabbit burrowing.

She hadn't meant to do it. All she did was listen to whatever was commanding her use of the whip of light. The blue beam had seemed to move of its own accord. But now half the building was missing, weapons scattered about the floor, and the owner of the dojo staring at her.

_That's it,_ she thought. _I lost my only chance at getting to know Sesshomaru. I might as well leave. _She turned to face the inu, expecting rage.

His face was surprisingly calm, but perhaps that was his normal lack of expression, and he was boiling inside. Kagome tried to look apologetic. She felt she came off as nervous.

"I'm terribly sorry, Sesshomaru," she said, knowing it wouldn't help. "I didn't mean to do that. I've never used youkai powers before, and I guess I screwed it up." Kagome reached back, pulling some of her hair forward to twist it in her fingers. "You can yell at me, if you want."

Sesshomaru took a few steps, observing the damage. "There are no traces of the wood previously holding up this part of my dojo," he said. "No wreckage or debris. It has simply vanished." He turned back to her. "This level of damage will take weeks to fix."

She hung her head. "I'm so sorry," she said again. "I know I probably can't make this up to you." Kagome had never done anything quite this bad, and guilt flooded her.

"This is impressive."

Her head snapped up. "Huh?"

Sesshomaru nodded, glancing at the damage again. "I would not have expected this level of damage from one who knows nothing of youkai abilities." He picked up a sword, knocked down by the the force of the blast, but with no harm to itself. "Your power is striking."

Relief replaced her guilt as Kagome realized he was complimenting her. "Thank you," she said. "Oh," she added, "I guess that won't make up for wrecking the dojo, though."

"It is indeed an inconvenience," he said, frowning. "You ruined my dojo."

"I'm sorry," Kagome said again.

"You sound pathetic," Sesshomaru answered, stepping away from her. "Apologizing too much displays weakness." He raised his claws, pressing his fingers close, and held his arm out. "Show me that you are not weak."

His whip of light appeared, green and incandescent. He swung it just in front of Kagome, making her jump as it struck the hardwood floor and retracted. "Show me," he commanded.

_**He's challenging you,**_ Kagome's inner youkai said. _**He realizes you have potential. Fight back. **_

Smirking to herself, Kagome raised her arm as well, closing her eyes and focusing on summoning the whip of light again.

It glowed blue in her hands, moving with graceful force as it his Sesshomaru's whip dead on, the noise shaking the foundations of what was left of the dojo. Lightning flashed, particles protesting to the abuse, and Kagome retracted her whip, letting it lie harmlessly on the floor. _It's only dangerous as long as I want it to be, _she thought.

Sesshomaru raised an arm, and Kagome caught it, blocking another blow.

"Your defense is simple," he said, striking again. It was all Kagome could do to watch his movements, let alone strike. "You must watch for my attacks, and an opportunity to release your own." His instructions barely registered with her, a sound like thunder reverberating through the dojo and the field beyond.

"How . . . am I . . . supposed to do . . . that?" Kagome asked, gasping between words. Sesshomaru was relentless, barely giving her time to catch a breath before striking again.

He pulled the whip back. "Your enemies will not be as gracious as I am. I attacked slowly, allowing time to breath and to watch my movements. A man such as Naraku would have killed you by now." Sesshomaru struck the air with the whip of light, silent as it swung in the air. "The whip of light will not crack when swung sharply, unlike a leather whip. It will also not wrap itself when it strikes an object, but, rather, 'crash,' making a sound similar to thunder."

"It _is_ like thunder," Kagome said, glad to have a break. The short but intense battle had been more than she expected, and certainly more than she was used to. Shooting arrows required distance and focus, not close proximity and constant vigilance. "The particles make noise when they clash, the way particles in clouds do when they expand rapidly. And it gives off electricity." She eyed her own whip, extending from her hand rather than held in it. "It's powerful."

"Only to those who use it properly." Sesshomaru raised the whip again, flicking it like a horse crop. "For most inu youkai, it is something for lesser enemies, not to be used in a serious battle. I myself have found that, through focus and training, it can hold immense power. You have raw potential, but your technique leaves much to be desired."

Kagome looked at him, her hopes raising each moment. This was the most Sesshomaru had ever spoken to her, and he didn't seem to be hating it, though his dojo was damaged. They might have finally found something to connect them. "Thanks, I guess," she said. "Would it be too much to ask you how I could improve my technique?"

A loud crash. Kagome was thrown back, her whip disappearing. Sesshomaru stood over her, his own weapon twirling above his head. "Practice," he said, and swung his arm down.

()

"Ouch!" Kagome complained, leaning away from Koneko.

"Lady Kagome, hold still, please." Koneko dabbed the wound gently, dipping the cloth in warm water again.

"I know," she sighed. "It just hurts a lot. Now I know why Inuyasha wouldn't sit still when I tried to give him first aid."

"Inuyasha?" Koneko dabbed the wound again, and Kagome winced.

"An old friend," Kagome replied. "He used to get hurt a lot, and hated treatment. I can see why. It's my own fault for training with him, I suppose."

Koneko put the cloth on the side of the wash tub and grabbed a bandage roll. "Lord Sesshomaru does not take training lightly, I'm afraid. I once saw him when I was fetching old farming tools from the fields for repair. He was in the forest, using his poison claws. He destroyed an orchard of sakura trees."

"That's mean!" Kagome declared, and winced again. The wound in her side, delivered by a heavy blow from the whip of light, was the worst of several injuries. Most were only bruises from falling and slamming into the shattered dojo walls, avoiding and blocking Sesshomaru for her life, and didn't move fast enough to avoid a hard hit in the ribs. The electricity might have killed her, were she still human. As an inu, it burned her skin, and was healing quickly. But she asked Koneko to wash and bandage it, nonetheless.

"His respect for nature only applies to food bearing plants." Koneko wrapped the bandage carefully, just under Kagome's breasts. "The sakura trees are for aesthetic pleasure only, and not important to him. Regardless, it showed his power to me for the first time, and he did not break a sweat while doing so."

"And I can't even handle a burn," she complained, watching as Koneko finished bandaging her and put the supplies away. "I want to get stronger, but I have a lot to learn. At least he was talking to me more than he usually does."

"Yes." Koneko wrapped the medical supplies in a bag, standing and handing Kagome her shirt. She took it gratefully, careful to avoid the bandages as she put it on.

"Is something wrong?" Kagome tied her haori closed and peered at Koneko. Guilt seeped into her mind, and she asked, "Am I talking about him too much? We can change the subject."

Koneko paused. "I would not normally ask that of you," she said slowly, "but that would be favorable at the moment."

Leaving the bathing room, the two traveled down the hallway silently. Kagome didn't know what to say, and the atmosphere wasn't pleasant for chit chat. All the servants knew who she was by now, and gave small bows as they passed. It made her uncomfortable, and she wished she could tell them to treat her normally.

"I'm not some princess," she mumbled.

"Do you not like the treatment?" Koneko laughed a bit, in a better mood after seeing Kagome's face. It didn't get any better after that comment.

"I don't," she complained. A laundry woman walked by, bowing her head and saying, "Good morning, my lady," before continued to her destination. "It's weird," Kagome said.

Koneko shrugged. "You will have to become accustomed to it."

"I didn't want to be Lady of the West." Kagome sighed, running a hand through her hair. "But you're right, I have to get used to it. Fate put me here for a reason."

"Indeed."

Another long silence. Kagome followed Koneko as she put the medical supplies away and went to the kitchen. The servants were preparing for lunch, carrying baskets of food and cutting up vegetables. It smelled heavenly to Kagome.

"I have to work," Koneko said, "but you can stay, if you wish."

She did want to stay, but Kagome had other matters to attend to. Firstly, she hadn't spent any time with Shippo since arriving, and she wanted to get to know Hatori better. And, if she could manage, she wanted to speak with Sesshomaru about when they would be leaving on the hunt for Naraku again.

"I have to go," she said, smiling at Koneko. "I hope you have a lovely day."

Kagome knew well enough that it was hard for a servant to have a lovely day, working every minute, but it didn't hurt to say so. Koneko reminded her of Sango in ways, dedicated to her work above all else.

Searching the corridors with eyes and nose, it didn't take Kagome long to find the children. They were in the courtyard garden, trying to catch the koi fish in the tiny pond.

"A little further, Shippo!" Rin cheered, laughing. Kagome chuckled. Rin was eleven, Shippo and Hatori not much younger, at least in appearance, but they acted younger. Perhaps because Rin hadn't seen the hardships of life for the past three years, protected by her lordship, and was willing to play any games the boys wanted.

Or maybe she's just immature herself, Kagome thought, approaching them.

"Lady Kagome!" Hatori looked up from the water, his neko ears twitching. "It's nice to see you. Are you having a good morning?"

"I am," Kagome said, smiling. "And how's my baby?" She picked Shippo up, snuggling him close.

Shippo struggled in her grip. "Mama! Not in front of them!" He squirmed until he was free, plopping to the ground.

Kagome laughed, patting him on the head. "I'm sorry, honey, I just haven't talked to you in a while. How have you all been?"

"Good!" Rin beamed. "Playing with Shippo and Hatori is so much fun!"

"I'm glad." Kagome sat beside them on the grass, watching the fish. "Rin, do you have any idea how long we'll be staying?"

Rin put a hand on her face, pondering. "Lord Sesshomaru doesn't have us come here often, but lately we've been stopping by more and staying longer. I'd say a few days, at least."

"All right then." Kagome was used to her group mates wanting to move as quickly as possible to catch up with Naraku. Either Sesshomaru's responsibilities were such that he was forced to stay for some time, or he wasn't worried about catching up. Or both.

The children were happy to spend time with Kagome. She gave off a motherly aura, and made them feel more cheerful than usual. After about an hour, a servant came to call them to lunch, and the group left the courtyard together.

Kagome hadn't experienced a group meal at the castle yet, only eating in her room because the respect she got from the servants made her feel odd. The kids ran ahead, entering the dining hall beyond the thick, decorated wood door. Kagome was about to do the same, when a hand stopped her.

Sesshomaru.

"Oh," Kagome said as he released her. He was dressed in his normal clothing again, rather than the training clothes she'd seen him in that morning.

When she was harmed during the training session, Sesshomaru ended it and told her to find someone to tend to the wound. Kagome supposed she should be grateful that he didn't continue fighting with her despite the injury, but part of her was still irked that he would actually hurt her.

Ignoring the mild anger, Kagome asked, "Are you coming to lunch too? I was told by Koneko that you don't usually eat with your guests." The crash course from the neko on eating in the castle also informed Kagome that Sesshomaru got a lot of money from letting nobles stay here. They were charged according to what rooms they stayed in, much like a hotel, the difference being that the nobles stayed for periods of months. They were the youkai important enough to have a ridiculous amount of money to burn, but unimportant enough not to have to worry about going to their homelands for a while.

According to Koneko, lately they had not been staying as long, and there were less of them.

"Kagome," he said, amazing her by using her name, "you were obviously too focused on the children to notice that a prestigious guest arrived a short while ago." Sesshomaru would have preferred he stay away, as his least favorite lord of the lands, but telling him to leave would result in unfavorable consequences. "I will not have you meet him in those clothes."

She looked down at herself, and realized her clothing was covered in dirt after playing with the children. Even if it wasn't, her clothes consisted of what were traditionally men's clothes, not the frilly kimonos the noblewomen wore. "Ah, I guess I should change, then."

"See that you do." Sesshomaru brushed past her, about to open the dining hall door, and paused. Kagome had shown significant potential that morning, despite being easily injured by his whip. And the practice had been good for him, as well.

_**Take the chance to tell her she did well. **_The inner youkai had been more than eager to accept Kagome's request for training, and jumped with joy when Kagome displayed her power.

Ignoring it, Sesshomaru opened the door and entered the hall while Kagome walked to her room to change clothes.

()

Hey, all! I know it's been a while since I posted, but I've been super busy. And I'll be busier, after school starts tomorrow. Sigh. But I'm going to do my best to keep the story going.

So, Kagome's training has begun, and Sesshomaru isn't hating it completely. A good thing. And we'll introduce another lord of the lands next chapter, and some of you might recognize him from the previous incarnation of the story.

Not much time to chat, I'm afraid. I hope you all liked this chapter! :) I'll try and keep it coming on a regular basis. And, as always, please review! I love reviews!

Ja ne!


	19. The Admission

Naturally, Koneko was nearby when Kagome went to her room to change. The neko youkai slipped in soundlessly, standing behind Kagome as she pulled kimonos from the closet.

"Holy crap!" Kagome said when she noticed the servant. "Koneko, where'd you come from?"

"Did you not smell me?" Koneko tilted her head in curiosity. "I did not mean to sneak upon you, Lady Kagome."

She put the kimonos back, sighing. "No, I just haven't gotten used to smelling everything yet. If I'm focused on something, I sort of forget to notice my sense of smell, if that makes any sense." Kagome eyed the closet. "Would you mind helping me pick something out for dinner? Sesshomaru says my outfit isn't good enough for the guest of honor."

Koneko looked at the closet. "Of course, my lady. For Lord Tatsuya, I suspect something of darker color would be pleasing." She reached in, picking out a dark orange kimono, mahogany maple leaves printed on it. "This will be fitting, for the season."

"Lord Tatsuya?" Kagome took the kimono and pressed it against herself, ineffectively judging how it might look on her. "Who is he?"

"Lord of the South," Koneko said, taking Kagome's clothes as she undressed. "He is more unpleasant than Lord Sesshomaru. Rather than being cold and indifferent, giving an impression of distant strength, Lord Tatsuya openly disregards those that it would be best to act respectful to. He believes that he is above others in a way that allows his manners to slide." Koneko sneered. "I do not think anyone likes _or_ respects him."

"He sounds awful," Kagome lamented, tying her obi. "But it's important to be polite. How do I look?" Kagome did a small twirl, her hair spinning around her face.

Koneko smiled. "Good, but I think you should put your hair up."

After this was done by Koneko, Kagome looked at herself in the mirror above the vanity. She never used make-up, but Koneko insisted on applying the lightest touch to her lips and eyelids. Her hair was tied into a tight bun, with two decorative butterfly pins holding the side edges of her bangs back and revealing more of her face.

And she had to admit, she looked good. Kagome didn't like fussing over how she looked, but Koneko knew how to make a woman's features stand out. "This is wonderful," she said, smiling at the neko. "Thank you."

"It is no problem," she replied. "I am happy to help."

Finding her way back to the dining hall, sure that she would be the last one to join everyone at the table, Kagome thanked the servants who opened the door and walked into the room.

She hadn't met any of the nobles in the castle yet, only passing a few in the halls since she came here. Kagome wasn't sure, but she thought the rumor of her arrival had probably spread like wildfire, meaning the nobles would know who she was.

Everyone's heads turned when she came in. Sesshomaru was seated at the head of the table, Rin on one side of him, with Shippo and Hatori in the seats next to her. Jaken was further down, looking as grumpy as he always was. On Sesshomaru's other side, in the seat next to the one just beside him, was a youkai that Kagome did not recognize, but she assumed to be Lord Tatsuya.

He had dark blue hair, his bangs split in the middle, as Sesshomaru's were, to reveal a pair of red bat wings printed on the skin. His eyes were red as well, looking her up and down as she stepped to the table. His robes were colored dark red, nearly black, with a blue bat wing emblem on the shoulder.

Kagome bowed her head slightly to Lord Tatsuya, and turned to Sesshomaru. He nodded, indicating that she should take the chair on his left side. Kagome took it, now in between the two lords.

The other nobles at the table gawked for a moment, never having seen Kagome dressed as she was before. But it was shortly after Kagome's arrival that dinner began, plates set before them and servants distributing food to their plates. Some of the food was Japanese, but a lot of it was western. Kagome felt her stomach rumble.

Sesshomaru's first bite was a signal, and as soon as he took it, everyone else began eating.

"So this is your pretty little mate," Lord Tatsuya purred. "I didn't know a former human could make such a beautiful youkai, Lord Sesshomaru."

Kagome could see why people didn't like him.

"It was not my choice to take a former human mate," Sesshomaru retorted, after swallowing his bite of steak. "The Hana no Shukumei is to blame."

Kagome bristled at this, turning to Sesshomaru. "I think it's a _wonderful_ thing," she said, mostly for spite. "The Hana no Shukumei has honored us by putting us together this way."

"I see your mate does not know her place." Lord Tatsuya chuckled. "Women who try to rise above social order are not women I take to."

Sesshomaru glanced at Kagome, as if it were her fault, and said, "Once again, I did not choose her." And he ate his food, indignant.

Kagome wanted to pull another comeback, but thought about how important it was to keep good relations with the other lords. Just because Sesshomaru treated him as an equal didn't mean she had a right to. She wasn't Lady of the West yet, and it would be better for her relationship with Sesshomaru if she acted the way others thought she should.

"I may not be used to youkai social order," she said, turning to Lord Tatsuya, "but I am willing to learn. I think the Hana no Shukumei had a good reason for placing Sesshomaru and I together, and I want to please Sesshomaru by living the way a lady should."

Sesshomaru stopped, his fork almost to his mouth, and raised an eyebrow at her. Kagome gave him a small smile before looking to Lord Tatsuya again. "And forgive my manners, I am not used to being around nobles. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Tatsuya."

The shift in attitude didn't faze him. "A pleasure to you as well," he said, his haughtiness still obvious in his voice. "Tell me, Lady Kagome, the word around the lands is that you are a miko. Is this true?"

"Yes," Kagome answered, taking a bite from her salad.

"Mikos purify youkai, do they not?" Lord Tatsuya smirked, as if he'd won an argument. "Lord Sesshomaru, what do you think about that?"

"Kagome purifies those youkai that would harm others," Sesshomaru said simply. "That is her job as a miko. She would not kill those that do not deserve it."

Kagome almost choked on the salad.

_Did he just defend me? _She eyed Sesshomaru with suspicion. _That isn't like him at all. _

Lord Tatsuya shrugged. "I would not associate with those that kill my own kind."

"So, Lord Tatsuya, what kind of work do you do? I haven't had the chance to see how Sesshomaru works, and I would like to know more about what the duties of a lord are." She tried her best to smile. _Make a good impression,_ she thought. It didn't matter that Lord Tatsuya was being a blatant jerk. If she gave him attitude, Sesshomaru would yell at her for being insubordinate toward another youkai lord, and everyone spreading rumors that his mate was a bad choice.

_I won't take Tatsuya's crap, _she thought, _but I won't give him the satisfaction of getting ruffled just because he's making some comments. _

Lord Tatsuya picked up a glass of wine, swirling it in his hands. "It's mostly bureaucratic. Nothing that you would like to hear about. I'd much rather hear about you, and how exactly you came upon the Hana no Shukumei." He leaned closer, grinning.

Kagome was forced to recall the story, telling how how she first found the rose and how Sesshomaru was found to be her match. She glanced at Sesshomaru, but he didn't show any signs of irritation, or any other kind of emotion.

Lord Tatsuya nodded at the appropriate moments, occasionally taking a bite of his meat. When Kagome had finished the story, having left our the parts Sesshomaru might not like, he laughed.

She blinked, wondering what was so funny.

"Oh, my, Sesshomaru." Lord Tatsuya chuckled. "Forced into a mating with a miko turned youkai. The hilarity of this had not hit me until now! You had better hope your mother does not blow a gasket because of this." He snickered. "Good luck getting the other lords to approve of such a ridiculous mating, especially when your father couldn't pull it off."

That did it.

Sesshomaru dropped his fork and stood.

"You will hold your tongue," he snarled. To others, he may have seemed emotionless, but Kagome read the subtle signs and realized how furious he was. "My father was a coward and a fool," Sesshomaru said, "but you do not hold the right to insult him for it. And I will not have you defacing my choice of a mate in front of my guests. Remove yourself from my home."

Silence and the clinking as people put their utensils to rest on their plates were the only sounds. Lord Tatsuya glared, and stood as well.

"Fine, then. I will be informing the Lords of the East and North of this, however. I will be seeing you another day, Sesshomaru."

And he left, as simple as that.

Kagome watched him storm through the door, listening to his footsteps fade. She had been worried about insulting Lord Tatsuya, and it was Sesshomaru that forced him out. _I guess Sesshomaru isn't as worried about keeping good relations with the other lords as I thought. _

Lunch continued awkwardly, not even the children daring to chat with each other. Kagome continued to replay the scene in her head, stuck on Sesshomaru's last sentence.

He said Tatsuya couldn't deface his choice for a mate. That was the first time Sesshomaru had referred to Kagome being there as a choice. And even if he hadn't meant it, only saying it to get rid of Tatsuya, it was nice to hear. Kagome wanted to think that maybe they were a bit closer to not hating each other. _**It'd go faster if you would make a move!**_

Kagome held the temptation to roll her eyes at her inner youkai. _Sesshomaru would be insulted if I did. __**You never know if you don't try. **_

_I'll think about it,_ she thought, picking up her fork.

After everyone finished eating, the servant cleared the table, and Kagome decided it would be interesting to explore the rest of the castle. She stood and was about to leave, when Sesshomaru's hand stopped her, as it had before lunch.

"What is it?" Kagome looked up at him.

"I would like a word with you."

She was taken to Sesshomaru's office, closing the door behind her as he sat at the table. "Sit," he ordered, and she did.

Sesshomaru peered at her solemnly. "I suppose you heard my words to Lord Tatsuya?"

"Yes." Kagome brushed her bangs back. "I know it doesn't mean anything."

Sesshomaru gave a quiet sigh. He hadn't meant to say that comment about Kagome, it had slipped out when he was about to stop speaking.

He was impressed with Kagome's potential as a fighter, and the way she was able to act mostly civil to someone like Tatsuya. And, he had to admit, he did not despise her as much as he used to.

"It did not," he confirmed. "But I have been considering your words, about the Mating Dance being something unique for the both of us."

Kagome snapped to attention. Was he saying what she thought he was?

"It was romantic spit," he said, frowning. "But you have a point. Lord Tatsuya was foolish for laughing at my father and his situation with the Mating Dance. And I despise him almost as much as Naraku."

"I'm not sure where you're going with this." Kagome raised an eyebrow.

"I am saying," Sesshomaru continued, "that this is indeed a unique situation. My father may have been a fool for mating with a human when he already had a youkai mate and a powerful son, but I am not in such a position."

"And?"

Sesshomaru was going to kick himself for saying this. His inner youkai would dance with glee. He wasn't sure why, but seeing Kagome act the opposite of her usual self to please Tatsuya had given him an odd feeling.

"I will . . ." He seethed in his mind at the words. "I will _try._"

()

Chapter nineteen! Yay! Sorry it's been a while. Like I said, I've been busy with school, and updates will have to move to every other week rather than every week.

I've been waiting forever for an opportunity to have Sesshomaru show a little humility toward Kagome. A common hatred for Lord Tatsuya seemed fitting enough. Kagome might not see fit to be polite to him next time he shows.

I hope you guys liked this chapter. Thanks so much for reading! And remember, please review!

See you next time! Ja ne! :)


	20. The Attack

It was several seconds before Kagome came up with a response.

"Huh?" Not the most eloquent, but the only thing in her mind at the time.

Sesshomaru frowned. "I said I will try. That is what you wanted, was it not?"

Kagome looked away. "Well, yeah, but I never thought you would agree to it. You've been cold toward me since I've known you. I thought it would be a long time before we could try and be close, if we ever came that far."

He placed his elbows on the table and folded his hands in front of his face. "I have no mate, and no heir. I am not in a position to be picky, and Lord Tatsuya has reminded me of that. You have potential with your powers that could be honed to incredible skill, and the fact that you are not a true inu may be overshadowed by your reputation as a giver of assistance to those who need it. That a hanyou boy you had never met came to seek aid from you says something about the relations you forge with people, a useful trait, and something I myself do not possess."

"So," Kagome said, her brow furrowing, "I have talent?"

"Potential," Sesshomaru clarified. "As a powerful Lady of the West. Keep in mind," he added quickly, "I would not do this if I did not have to. But the reactions of those around me have told me that resisting the Hana no Shukumei is difficult and wastes energy I do not want to exert."

"The reactions of others? Like a certain Lord of the South?"

He paused. "Lord Tatsuya has power that is to be respected. Nonetheless, I detest him. It would not be a shame to prove to him that you are more than eligible as my mate."

Kagome frowned. "Just yesterday you hated me. Sesshomaru, I don't want to do this if you don't actually mean it."

Sesshomaru wanted to punch the table. Kagome was making this difficult. He had just given her what she wanted, and she had more demands? Wasn't telling her that he would participate in the Mating Dance enough, regardless of his reasons?

_**Dummy! **_His youkai sneered. _**Women like sincerity, you know that. Doing this to get back at Tatsuya isn't going to make her happy. **_

_And how do I please her? She is relentless. _

_**Try thinking, for a change. **_

Kagome would have wondered why he was suddenly silent, were her own inner youkai not berating her as well.

_**He's finally agreed to try with you, and you get suspicious? Come on!**_

_Hey, _Kagome shot back, _I'm a romantic. I want to have a little normality in my relationships. __I've already been paired with a guy who hates me, by a mysterious flower under the influence of the gods. Is it too much to ask that he do this with some honesty? _

"Kagome."

She snapped out of it, eying Sesshomaru. His lack of expression made it hard to figure out what he was thinking, but something that only her youkai senses could have picked up told her that he was growing impatient.

"Yes?"

"I . . ." Sesshomaru sighed mentally. "I am not simply doing this because of Lord Tatsuya, although I do not dislike proving him wrong. I also think that you may truly have potential as a powerful Lady of the West. And seeing as everything about the Hana no Shukumei has proven true thus far, it may be in my best interest to follow its guidance."

The phrase startled her, and Kagome had to let it sink in before she could believe it. "Really?" she asked. "You mean that?"

"It is not what I personally would have chosen," he said, making Kagome sigh with relief that he was still himself, "but if you continue to try while I remain impassive, it may create difficulties."

"Great." Kagome thought for a moment. "I guess this is better than nothing."

"Yes. I will inform you of what we will do with this change in plans later. For now, I have work that I must attend to." Sesshomaru hesitated, and under the advice of his youkai, said, "Enjoy your day."

Pleasantly surprised, and wondering if Sesshomaru would keep his word, Kagome left the office, planning to see the children once more.

Sesshomaru watched Kagome leave, hoping the change wouldn't affect him negatively. _At least she is more tolerable than some of the people I have met,_ he thought, grabbing a land treaty.

()

Kagome could hardly believe it. Maybe he still didn't like her, but he recognized her abilities. He was willing to try. And that said more to her about him than all their previous encounters.

The children were in Shippo's room. Kagome opened the door, smiling when she saw them talking briefly, before stopping to look at her.

"Hi, Mama!" Shippo grinned. "I saw you go to Sesshomaru's office. What was it about?"

"Nothing," she said, sitting by them. "We just talked about some things. Hatori," Kagome said, facing him, "Do you know when your grandfather is coming to get you?"

Hatori shook his head. "No, my lady. I have not received word back from him yet."

"Call me Kagome. And you're welcome to stay as long as you need, if I have anything to say about it." Kagome rubbed his tiny head affectionately.

"Thank you." Hatori smiled. "I am grateful for it."

"Kagome, how has Lord Sesshomaru been treating you?" Rin twirled her tiny ponytail, expectant. Kagome looked away.

"As he treats everyone else," she answered, sighing. "But he said he's going to accept the decision of the Hana no Shukumei, finally," she continued, brightening.

Rin beamed. "Really, Kagome? That's fantastic! I didn't think Lord Sesshomaru would ever accept anything in regards to you, he's so stubborn."

"Yes." Kagome felt herself smiling, and caught herself, wondering why she would. But she put the thought aside, focusing on the kids.

There wasn't much else Kagome could think of to do besides spending time with the children. But when she got the vibe that Rin wanted to play with the boys alone, she said goodbye, and went to the only place she could think of.

The courtyard garden.

It was beautiful, adorned with many kinds of plants and trees from different regions. Kagome had to wonder why Sesshomaru would bother with something like this. Perhaps it was the same reason he kept artwork in the halls, for appearances regarding the other lords.

Whatever the reason, Kagome enjoyed it. She picked up a fallen tree leaf, observing it and taking in its scent. She loved being able to tell the subtle differences in smells, guessing which trees had dropped which leaves without even looking. It was wonderful, especially in a garden full of this many scents.

Kagome's mother had kept a small garden when she was young, but after Souta was born, she didn't have any time to keep it alive. The plants wilted, and the garden stayed empty for years. Only until her grandfather started living with them, able to babysit herself and her brother, that Kagome's mother started gardening again.

It was with that that Kagome had learned the names of a lot of edible herbs. Rosemary and jasmine were her favorites, mostly because it made her tea taste wonderful. Spotting a plant that looked similar to jasmine, Kagome sniffed the leaf, but it wasn't what she hoped for.

Absorbed in smelling the plants, Kagome didn't notice the presence behind her. Teleporting was a specialty of his, and useful for getting past Sesshomaru's guards. It would only be a matter of time before Sesshomaru himself sensed his youki, and he knew he had to act fast.

Grabbing her was too easy. Her squeals were useless under his hand, and he grinned. Just like a young inu pup, she hadn't enough knowledge to be constantly aware of her surroundings. Her sense of smell was futile when he hid his scent, and from what he had heard, her only way of detecting a youkai was if she used her silly jewel shard sense. He would bet his life that her ability to sense the youki of others was unused as of yet.

"Stay still, and I won't harm you," he whispered into her ear.

Kagome, baffled until now, recognized the voice immediately. She knew she was still an amateur at smelling youkai near her, but she'd been using her sense of smell on the plants so much, she should have caught his scent on the air. And how had he been so quiet?

_I suck at this,_ Kagome thought. _I'll have to ask Sesshomaru about training my youkai senses. For now . . ._

She eyed the youkai behind her. Tatsuya was almost as tall as Sesshomaru, a fair bit taller than her. To a normal girl, his strength meant death. Kagome, on the other hand, may be new with her youkai powers, but she'd been a miko for years. She knew how to _purify_ his ass.

"Lady Kagome, I have never seen Sesshomaru throw me out like he did earlier," Tatsuya whispered. "I have crossed the line plenty of times, but he is always polite when he asks me to leave. Today was different. And I think it's your fault."

Kagome frowned, not understanding.

"You see," Tatsuya continued, "I figured it must be you, the only change in his life since I last saw him, that caused him to act so unfriendly. And I want to find out what's so special about a former human that would kill me if she had her precious arrows."

That startled her. Tatsuya knew more about her than she thought. What he didn't seem to know was that she no longer needed arrows to use her powers.

"I bet you're the best fuck he's ever had, for him to defend you the way he did."

Kagome blushed, a completely inappropriate but inevitable reaction. She'd never thought heavily about anything sexual, only going as far as giving Inuyasha her first kiss. For Tatsuya to be so blatant caught her off guard.

"And I'm going to test it," he continued, moving a hand from its grip on her upper arm to her waist, and purring. "All you have to do is stay quiet."

That was it. Kagome was _done_ biding her time.

Teeth dug into flesh, the same moment her hands grabbed his wrist and her power surged through her. A distinct burning smell caught her nose. Tatsuya yelped, pulling back and swearing.

Kagome whirled around, putting her hands in front of her and murmuring a chant Kaede had taught her. It was a simple ward, but would stall Tatsuya in case he thought about getting close to her again.

The words ended, and a blue energy shot from her hands to Tatsuya's chest. He snarled, falling to his knees. The element of surprise was on Kagome's side, but he would no doubt right himself in a minute. Kagome moved to get away.

Her arm was caught by another hand, and she screamed.

"Silence, Kagome."

The voice stopped her, and she looked into Sesshomaru's eyes. They were focused on the Lord of the South, trapped between his two strongest guards. Tatsuya knew better than to fight, watching Sesshomaru release Kagome and flex his claws.

"Explain yourself," he said, the tips of his claws glowing the indicative green of poison.

"I suppose lying is out of the question." Tatsuya snorted. "I only wanted a piece of what you were getting, Sesshomaru. She must be one hot little youkai, for you to get so worked up about her."

"Take him away," Sesshomaru ordered. "And if I catch you here without an invitation again, I will personally tear your throat out. I would much prefer to ask for a pardon from the other lords for your death, rather than permission to end your life."

Tatsuya didn't answer, but didn't fight as the guards led him out of the courtyard. Kagome rubbed the arm where he had grabbed her, wondering what he might have done had Sesshomaru not showed up.

Expecting her to berate him about how she could handle herself, Sesshomaru turned to Kagome. But instead of anger, he faced gratitude.

"Thank you," she said, smiling a little. "I figured he would overpower me once he got his bearings. I was going to run away." Her smile faded. "I knew I wasn't good enough to defeat him."

Sesshomaru saw his guards throw Tatsuya out, sealing the gate and watching him vanish into thin air. His teleporting ability would be the death of him, if he continued to abuse it. "You are correct," he said, facing Kagome once more. "You are not trained well enough to take him on. If he does this again, call for assistance."

Kagome nodded. "I should have known to call for the guards."

"I would be the one to help you, Kagome."

Surprised, she looked up at him. Sesshomaru stared back with cold indifference. "You are, for all intents and purposes, my future mate," he said when Kagome didn't respond. "If I am going to try with you, it would be idiotic not to come to your aid when you require it."

"Oh." Kagome looked away. "Thank you, I suppose. It's different, seeing you do something other than stand there hating me."

"I protect what is mine," he said simply. "Rin is my ward. Jaken is my adviser. I protect them. And so I will protect you as well."

"Hmm." Kagome didn't like being thought of as belonging to him, but she could hardly complain. Sesshomaru was being decent to her. "Thanks again," she said. "I'll try my best to get stronger, so you won't have to bother with this."

"Good." Sesshomaru considered her for a moment. "It is cold today. Come inside."

Kagome couldn't help smiling a bit. Despite the scare, today was turning out to be rather promising. "Okay," she answered, following Sesshomaru.

()

Chapter twenty! Yay! I hope everyone enjoyed this :)

Sesshomaru, ever so slowly warming up to Kagome, even if he denies it XD

Next chapter will probably shift back to some other characters. It's been a while since they got any screen time. Stay tuned!

Thanks so much for reading, and please review :) Ja ne!


	21. The Picnic

Wow, I finally came out of the woodwork! I'm sorry it's been such a long time, you guys! Graduations and final tests and college stuff have all been hell to go through. I had a little free time, and I thought it was about time I updated, so I wrote a short chapter for you guys. Please enjoy~

()

Things weren't going as horribly as she imagined.

Kagome was in her room, waiting for Sesshomaru. After the issue with Tatsuya, she was told to wait for him, and they would discuss the Mating Dance.

Kikyo smiled as she watched her.

She had watched Kagome and Sesshomaru from the day she died, amused with some of the acts between them. Kagome had finally accepted her mating to Sesshomaru, but if he continued to push her away, Kikyo knew Kagome would eventually become frustrated and leave. A girl could only take so much.

However, the interactions with Tatsuya had reassured both Kagome and Kikyo. Sesshomaru fought for Kagome. It made Kagome feel better, even if he had only done so for his own honor. And his admittance of wanting to try comforted Kagome.

He kept his promise about telling her what they would do, now that he was a willing, if reluctant, participant. Sesshomaru would be in shortly to talk about their progress and give Kagome more details on how the Mating Dance would work.

Kikyo knew this because she had connected with his thoughts as he was instructing Kagome to wait for him. The scramble with Tatsuya reminded Sesshomaru of how he wanted to prove that Kagome was worthy, and attempt to quiet his inner youkai about getting to know Kagome.

She could tell he wasn't serious, though. Kikyo sighed at the thought. Kagome was happy with Sesshomaru's apparent sincerity, unaware that the thought of being close with her made Sesshomaru ache with fury. Kikyo saw that all too easily. Happiness would be far out of reach if Sesshomaru tried to do something he hated.

It was at that moment Sesshomaru entered. Kagome stiffened, and looked over. The stoic youkai pulled out the chair from Kagome's desk, placed it in front of the bed where Kagome sat, and faced her. Kagome gulped, and looked away. She was nervous, not least so because she had no idea what Sesshomaru wanted to say to her.

"Kagome."

She looked up, biting her lip.

"The first step of the Mating Dance is for the female to accept it," Sesshomaru said.

Kagome nodded, wondering where this was going. "I know," she said, "You told me."

"And the second step," Sesshomaru continued, without acknowledging her comment, "is for the female to acknowledge that she can be protected by her mate."

Kikyo watched with curiosity. Kagome hesitated, and asked, "Why are you telling me this now?" Kikyo, knowing Sesshomaru's thoughts, smirked.

The inu youkai frowned. "Did I not protect you just now?"

Kagome paused. To acknowledge he could protect her. As might be expected, Sesshomaru's idea of protection was different from her own. Sesshomaru was right, but he was assuming one occasion meant she should trust him continually. "Well," she said, "of course you did, but that doesn't mean I trust you to protect me _all_ the time. That's different."

Sesshomaru wanted to growl, Kikyo could tell. He was trying harder than he normally would, keeping his patience when he thought Kagome was in the wrong. It didn't stop the slight twitch in his lips, giving away his irritation. "I have protected you before, miko," he said, "when I saved you from the youkai, after you insisted on retrieving the shard."

Kagome blushed. "That was one time," she muttered. Louder, she said, "And I could have protected myself. You're trying to let a couple of occasions stand for what will be a lifetime of company spent with you."

He raised an eyebrow.

Kagome sighed. "Look," she said, "we're supposed to be mates forever, if the length of inu youkai life is any indication. But, just because you helped me a few times, doesn't mean I want you to be the one to protect me if I should happen to be incapacitated."

"And why not?" Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "Am I not worthy of protecting you?"

Kagome blushed. "No!" she sputtered, shaking her head angrily. "That makes me sound conceited. It's not a matter of being worthy." Kagome paused, lowering her eyes. "I have to trust you, Sesshomaru. And a person gains my trust with kindness. I can't change that." Kagome looked up, gazing into Sesshomaru's eyes. She knew he wouldn't like it.

Sesshomaru let her words sink in, gazing back. The miko would not concede. Very well.

"I can show kindness, miko," he said, standing. "I care for Rin, as you have seen." He stepped closer to the edge of the bed. Kagome jumped, and scooted back. Sesshomaru was invading her personal space. "However," Sesshomaru continued, sitting next to her on the bed, "deciding you are worth that kindness is a different matter."

Kagome pulled back further. Sesshomaru was closer to her than he had ever willingly been.

Kikyo, above, began to giggle with amusement. Watching Sesshomaru tease her was not what she expected, but one of the most entertaining things Kikyo had watched in some time.

Sesshomaru grabbed Kagome's wrist, pulling her underneath him. She yelped, closing her eyes. When she opened them, Sesshomaru was above her on the bed, his hair disheveled. "Kagome," he said, leaning close to her face. She blushed, but had nowhere to move. "You have the potential to be a powerful inu youkai," he continued, "and I do not think we are severely incompatible. But if you insist on keeping yourself away from this Sesshomaru, I will be forced to move the Mating Dance forward, whether you prefer it or not."

Suddenly he was across the room, opening the door. "I can protect you," he said, "and it will be easier for both of us to cooperate with each other. I will be in my office, should you wish to talk with me about the Mating Dance. Farewell." With that, he was gone, leaving a flustered Kagome on the bed.

Kikyo burst into silent laughter. Without the burdens and worries of the living, her soul was free to find joy in whatever she pleased, and Kikyo could not have stopped laughing if she wanted to. Kagome smoothed her hair and clothing, blushing profusely. Even if she hated Sesshomaru, which she no longer did, he could still have seduced her with such an act. It was no wonder the gazes of the females in the castle lingered on him.

His words rang strong in her mind, and forced Kagome to think for a few minutes. Sesshomaru was much better than he used to be. He was making an effort. Kagome stared at the mirror in her room. At the mark on her forehead, binding her to Sesshomaru.

An idea struck her, and Kagome smiled. If Sesshomaru wanted her to accept his protection, he would have to work for it.

()

Evening was descending upon the castle and its inhabitants. The sunset had concluded, the reds and pinks fading into a deep blue. The first stars were appearing. Kagome emerged from the kitchen, holding a woven basket not unlike the picnic baskets of her own time. The last time Kagome had anything resembling a picnic was with her family the visit before last, and it ended with Souta shoving rice in their mother's face because he couldn't attend an older boy's birthday party. Kagome was looking forward to having another picnic that might end well.

Although, the ending could go either way. It was Sesshomaru she was thinking of, after all.

Kagome wasn't trying to upset him. She _wanted_ to work together, truly. But she and Sesshomaru barely knew each other. Their training sessions were filled with battle, not conversation. Kagome wanted to be able to trust him, and for that to happen, they needed to bond. As much as Sesshomaru might not like it.

Koneko was kind enough to arrange a basket of food for Kagome. "I hope you too will find commonalities," was what she said, which Kagome interpreted as meaning 'Good luck.' The basket was filled with traditional Japanese foods that Kagome hoped Sesshomaru would like.

The only problem would be getting him to agree to it. Kagome sighed as she walked down the castle halls. Sesshomaru might not want to skip dinner, leaving his noble guests without a host, but part of her felt this was a good idea. They had to do something about their animosity.

Upon reaching his office, Kagome paused for a moment, allowing Sesshomaru to smell her presence. She knocked gently, and waited again. "Come in," Sesshomaru said from behind the door. Kagome stepped inside quickly, wondering what his reaction might be.

He was seated, as usual, with many papers surrounding him. Kagome could read some of them, though others were written in illegible handwriting. Sesshomaru peered at her, and asked, "What is it that you want?"

Kagome stood up straight, hoping the proper posture might help his mood. "I have a question to ask," she said, holding up the basket.

Sesshomaru eyed it, and said, "I will not dine with you, if that is what you wish."

Expecting this, Kagome said, "Sesshomaru, you want me to know that you're a protective mate, right?" The words felt odd, but anything to get him to come with her.

He frowned, turning back to his papers. "You expressed a want for my kindness. If you intend to bring it about with food, as females are wont to do, it will not work." _**Idiot!**_ His inner youkai was fuming. _**She is throwing a chance to spend time together in your lap! Take it!**_ Sesshomaru continued sorting papers.

Kagome tried not to groan. "I'm not appeasing you with food," she said, holding the basket closer. "I really want this to work," she said. Sesshomaru noticed the sincerity, and looked up again. "I think, if we spent a little more time together," Kagome continued, "we might get along better than you would think."

Sesshomaru watched her face, observing it for any signs of lies, but could find none. And if he thought it through, he would know he did not think the miko a liar. She was making the best of an unfortunate circumstance. She was fairing better than the rejected women who had interest in him, and that was a solid statement considering how badly those women wanted to mate him. Sesshomaru put down his quill.

"Fine," he said, looking Kagome in the eye. He did not miss her startled and mildly pleased expression. "If I must dine with you privately to win your concession on the next part of the Mating Dance, then I will allow it. However," he said, "I will request that you answer to any nobles inquiring as to why I will not be attending dinner."

Kagome nodded, glad that he agreed at all. "I will," she said, smiling. "I was hoping we could eat in the garden, have a little picnic for ourselves."

Sesshomaru was unfamiliar with the term 'picnic,' but nodded. "Fine. I will be there in a moment. Go and wait for me." He picked up his quill again, signing off on a few documents. "That will be all," he said, waving a hand dismissively.

Turning to go, Kagome wished she could tell him off for dismissing her like a servant. But they needed to get along. The situation would only worsen over time if they didn't do something. "All right, I'll meet you there," she said, looking at Sesshomaru over her shoulder.

He nodded, and listened to Kagome leave his office. The sacrifices he was making for the Hana no Shukumei. Sesshomaru wondered if it would be worth it in the end.

()

Hey, everyone, it's Mattaki, and I'm still alive! Right, so like I said at the beginning, I was super busy with graduation and college stuff and friends and school and everything. Woosh, time goes by like lightning. I still like this story and want to update more frequently if I can, with hopefully longer chapters. A major thing is that I have an original novel I'm working on, and I usually end up working on that instead of this.

But I forgot how fun it is, writing Kagome and Sesshomaru together! Maybe they'll finally get along? Or maybe not XD The wonderful thing about them is, even if they don't interact in the canon story, their personalities would work really well if they ever did become a couple by Rumiko Takahashi's hand. Which means I have to make sure they stay as close to their original personalities as I can manage, because I don't want to lose that dynamic.

I'm going to definitely have the picnic in the next chapter, and some more stuff with Kikyo and the children. I might throw Jaken in too, since he hasn't shown up in a while. There are a lot of things to consider in the future. For those of you that didn't read the original (and poorly written) Mysterious Flower story that this one is derived from, this picnic doesn't happen until much later. I decided to shift it because I thought it would work better. Here's hoping that wasn't a poor choice.

Thanks so much to everyone who has been patient and stuck with the story! I love you guys! Thanks for reading! And remember, please review! I love opening my email to see those cheerful messages, and even constructive criticism is welcome. Reviews keep me alive! And I promise it won't be months before my next update. I'll try to make it by next week, at the latest. I want to finish this dang thing.

Thanks again :-) You readers are amazing!

Ja ne~


	22. The Song

Kagome stood in the courtyard garden, attended by a female servant. She didn't need anyone with her, but after what happened the last time she was alone in the garden, Kagome wanted to be as safe as she could. The picnic basket was heavy in her hands.

It was a lovely evening. It would be some time before darkness descended, and the stars promised to be bright on this night. Far off, Kagome heard the tell tale footsteps of the great Lord of the West. She turned, giving a smile, but greeted with Sesshomaru's classic stoicism. Her smile faded. She told herself that it would be a while, if ever, that Sesshomaru warmed to her.

Sesshomaru stopped in front of her, and nodded to dismiss the servant. He observed Kagome's kimono, which was decorated with red and yellow roses, to match the season. Kagome held up the picnic basket. "Shall we go?"

He nodded again, and turned to lead them to a private area. "Where did you plan to eat?" he asked, glancing back at Kagome.

"Oh," she said. "Well, I didn't really plan anything." Kagome looked around at the various flora. "It's such a beautiful garden, Sesshomaru, I thought we could eat anywhere, as long as it's flat."

Acknowledging this, Sesshomaru halted at the first flat spot they reached. It was a small circle nestled in the middle of several Japanese maple trees, designed for those who might want to rest briefly. The trees were bright red, the leaves dipping and swaying with the wind. Kagome watched them in fascination. Her night vision was improving each time she used it, and the colors seemed to jump at her. "Kagome."

She turned, and realized Sesshomaru was waiting for her. "Sorry," she said quickly, setting the picnic basket down. Inside was a cotton blanket, given by Koneko because the blankets in Kagome's room were all silk and much too nice to lay on the ground. Kagome spread it out, and took out some food. "Rice to start," she said cheerily, setting two covered bowls and sets of chopsticks out. "Let's begin," Kagome said, picking up her bowl.

All the while, Sesshomaru stood, watching her. The notion of spreading a meal on a blanket was not unfamiliar, though Kagome's term for it was new. He did not understand the appeal of doing something so pedestrian when the dining hall was available, and more comfortable. As Kagome picked up her bowl, Sesshomaru approached and sat at the opposite end of the blanket. "Here you are," Kagome said, handing Sesshomaru his food.

"Hn." Sesshomaru took it, removing the top to reveal warm rice. "This is no longer hot," he said, looking at Kagome.

Her head snapped up, angered that he appeared to be blaming her, when she remembered she wasn't dealing with Inuyasha. "Sorry," she said, holding back her insult. "I hoped it wouldn't cool down so much, but I couldn't do anything about it. It should taste fine."

"This Sesshomaru does not eat simply 'fine.'"

"Look!" Kagome glared at him, and sighed. "Sesshomaru," she said, "I want to have a nice meal. Your cooks made that, I can't help that it didn't stay hot. Please, I promise it'll taste fine. I don't want this to start off on the wrong foot." Kagome uncovered her own bowl and grabbed a bite of rice. "See?" she said, after eating it. "It's good."

Sesshomaru peered at his food, and took a bite. Kagome tried to smile, and began to eat.

They ate in silence for some time. Kagome was halfway through her rice, when she said, "Sesshomaru?" He looked up, not answering. "Can we talk?" she asked.

"About what?" Sesshomaru set the rice bowl in his lap.

"Anything," Kagome said, shrugging. "I wanted to get to know each other. It might help some of this . . . animosity, between us." She gestured back and forth with her hand. "I want to clear the negative energy."

"Begin a topic," Sesshomaru said, continuing to eat.

Kagome rolled her eyes, searching for something that might bring out conversation in the stoic Lord. "Oh!" Kagome turned to him again. "Sesshomaru, do you have any hobbies?"

Sesshomaru paused, and looked up. "I have too much work," he said, "to waste my time on frivolous hobbies. I do not see the point in them."

The reply didn't surprise Kagome, but she was disappointed all the same. "I see." She turned back to her food, sighing. This was about as difficult as she thought it might be.

_**Ask her something,**_ Sesshomaru's youkai urged. _**She is trying her best to be friendly. You must reciprocate.**__ I do not care too,_ Sesshomaru replied, finishing off his rice. He peered at Kagome, noticing the sad look in her eyes. _**Come on!**_ His youkai was seething.

"Kagome," Sesshomaru said, "would you care to tell me about your hobbies?"

She looked up, surprised. "Ah, yes!" She smiled, hoping this would lead somewhere. "I love to make things for my friends, like little gifts. I cut out fun shapes from cloth or sew tiny dolls." Kagome demonstrated their size with her hands. "They're not very big, but they seem to enjoy it. Ayumi and Eri are always grateful, although Yuki gets kind of tired of it . . ." she drifted off, seeing Sesshomaru's bored expression. "Sorry, I rambled," she said. Kagome distracted herself, reaching into the basket for more food. "Here, some assorted fruits." Kagome brought out another bowl, filled with sliced apricots and peaches. "After this will be the main meal."

Sesshomaru took a slice and bit into it. "Who are the three women you mentioned?" he asked after swallowing. "I have never heard you mention them before." He had to act interested.

"They're my friends from the future." Kagome took a peach slice, but didn't eat it. "I don't get to see them very often. They all went off to college, and I'm still here battling Naraku." Kagome brushed some hair from her face. "It's a little sad. I told myself it was all right, because I had Sango and Miroku, and Shippo and Inuyasha." Kagome bit into the peach slice slowly, remembering her friends from normal days.

_This will be a long evening,_ Sesshomaru thought.

()

Inuyasha's ears twitched. His feet touched upon warm grass. The sun was slowly setting, and soon it would grow cold. Behind him, he could hear the steps of another, following without hesitation. This could not be more irritating. "Get away," he snarled, glaring behind him. The girl stopped, but didn't reply. Inuyasha scoffed and kept walking. The footsteps behind him continued. "Kyoko," he said sternly.

"I'm not going to leave," Kyoko shot back, running to catch up with Inuyasha. He leapt into a tree, descending several yards ahead. Kyoko growled, running to him again. "Inuyasha, we can talk about this, can't we?" She moved in front of Inuyasha, blocking his path.

"Leave me alone, Kyoko." Inuyasha stepped around her and continued walking. Kyoko huffed, keeping pace. This had been going on all day, and she was sick of putting up with it.

"You're all torn up about these two girls. I get that. But I want to help." She frowned, her ears twitching. "Inuyasha, you're the first hanyou I've ever met. Can you try not to be an ass and ignore me all day?"

He stopped, and glared again. "What kind of business do you have, following me around? I just wanna sulk in peace for a while." He leaped into the trees, but the tigress followed him without hesitation.

"Being all boxed up is why you feel so bad!" she yelled as they moved through the treetops. "If you talked about it some more, you might feel better!"

Inuyasha halted, turning and grabbing Kyoko's wrist. She yelped, trying to obtain balance on the thick branch of the tree they stood in. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, and said, "There are other hanyou out there. Why are you so interested in me?"

Kyoko tried to yank her wrist away and, failing, she sighed and said, "It's not just that. You helped me when I needed it." She cast her eyes down. "I was touched. No one bothers helping me out." Kyoko looked into Inuyasha's eyes. "I want to help you in return."

"Feh," Inuyasha snorted, letting go of her wrist. "No need. I only helped ya to get back at the stupid wolves."

"And sharing the sake?" Kyoko asked, raising an eyebrow.

Inuyasha looked away. "I was depressed. I thought drinking might help."

"And you couldn't go to other friends for that?" Kyoko stepped closer. "You mentioned them, when we were drunk. I remember. Sango and . . . Miroku?" She cocked her head. "What about them? I'm sure they must miss you."

Inuyasha opened his mouth, and closed it. He hadn't thought much about his friends since he left them. Without Kagome or Kikyo, finding shards was a slim chance. And without his scent tracking, getting on Naraku's trail was a shot in the dark. They were probably flying around on Kirara all day, hoping to see or hear anything helpful. He had abandoned them. "I don't wanna talk about it," Inuyasha said, turning to go.

"Then spend your days sulking," Kyoko said, in a soft tone. Inuyasha looked at her. She was frowning, her ears lowered against her head. "That's what people do to avoid dealing with life. They sulk and brood and don't do shit to fix it." The sudden use of harsh language made Inuyasha jump. "I should know," Kyoko continued, "because that's what I've done. I want to help because you're acting the same way I did years ago, and it never helped me."

The inu paused, her words soaking in. "So what?" he asked. "I'm not any of your business."

"Ever heard of sincerity, Inuyasha?" she barked. "I could tell from the moment I saw you upset that first day, that you needed help. And you . . ." she stopped. "You offered me help, when I needed it. Which means that you're a good person, deep down. Helping good people is worth the extra effort, don't you think?"

Kyoko stepped close, taking Inuyasha's hand. "I mean it," she said. "I think of you . . . as a friend. Can't I help a friend?"

()

"So, here is the lamb." Kagome took the meat from the basket, kept warm by a ceramic pan and lid. "I heard it was one of the cook's best dishes, and I thought you would prefer meat to something else. Just tell me how much you want." She grabbed two plates, setting one in front of Sesshomaru. Since his question about her hobbies, the great lord remained silent. Kagome wasn't sure what topics to approach that would get him to open up.

"Hn." Sesshomaru took two large pieces and began cutting them into smaller slices. When they were of appropriate size, he began to eat. Kagome did the same, wondering what he might want to talk about.

"Sesshomaru, do you like music?" she finally settled on, picking a topic she thought applicable to most anyone.

"I have little time for it," he said curtly.

"Well," Kagome said, refusing to give up, "I love music. It helps cheer me up, and sometimes it's nice when I feel sad or afraid. Shippo likes it, too." Talking of her son brought a smile to Kagome's face. "I sing for him when he can't sleep at night."

Sesshomaru put his utensils down. "I noticed your songs," he said. His mind searched for anything to say. _I am not one for conversation,_ he thought, loathing the prospect of continuing the picnic much longer. _**Say something! She's trying hard for this,**_ his inner youkai growled. Sesshomaru thought back, and added, "Your voice was pleasing."

Surprised by the compliment, Kagome blushed, and said, "T-thanks. I was in a chorus back home. My mom always said she liked my singing."

"It is . . . entertaining to listen to a person who has acquired a skill for vocal performance," Sesshomaru said. It was the truth, although he did not make it a habit to seek out singers for his personal enjoyment.

"Yes, it is!" Kagome took another bite of her lamb, happy to have Sesshomaru talking. "If you want, I could sing for you sometime," she offered, though she knew he would reject it.

Sesshomaru watched her carefully, as she took several more bites. He recalled what her voice sounded like during their travels, but her singing had been absent since then. "Fine," he said. "Sing."

Kagome stopped, and looked at him. "What?" she asked, laughing nervously. "Are you serious?"

"Did you not make the offer?" Sesshomaru waved a hand toward her. "Sing, or admit that your offer was not serious and blemish your perceived confidence in your vocal abilities."

Blushing again, Kagome frowned and said, "All right. What does the almighty Lord of the West wish to hear on this evening?" Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes in irritation, and answered, "What it would please the songstress to sing."

Refusing to back down from a challenge, Kagome nodded and stood. The garden was mostly empty, save for a few servants. She took a few minutes to look around, and decided on a song in her mind. "Okay, then," she said, and began to sing.

"A law was made a distant moon ago, here,

July and August cannot be too hot.

And there's a legal limit, to the snow here,

In Camelot."

Her voice rang through the courtyard and drifted into open windows, catching the attention of any within earshot. On an upper floor, Hatori, Rin, and Shippo leaned out of a window to listen. The servants in the garden paused, listening closely to the foreign and enchanting music. Kagome closed her eyes, aware of only herself and her voice.

When she finished, she paused a moment, and looked at Sesshomaru. His expression held no changes, but he said, "Well done, Kagome," and motioned for her to sit back down.

"Thank you," she said, sitting and picking her plate back up. "That's one of my favorite songs from a show I saw back home."

"May I assume Camelot is mythical?" Sesshomaru asked, not bothering with his food any longer. The song had truly captured him, though he would not say so. Kagome would make decent wages as a performer in this era, should she choose to do so.

"Yeah," Kagome said, and nodded. "King Arthur sings it, to convince Guinevere to marry him and be the queen of Camelot."

Sesshomaru's brow wrinkled. "Why would she not wish to be queen? The title holds wealth and promise for a comfortable life."

Kagome rolled her eyes, and set her food down. "Yes," she said, looking at Sesshomaru, "but it might not make her _happy_. That's the same reason I didn't jump on board with you, you know. Not to offend," she quickly added, "but wealth isn't always to key to happiness. Shippo and my friends make me happy. The idea of being with the person I love makes me happy." Kagome shook her head, as if to dispel the fantasies. "I want to surround myself with people I care for, to achieve bliss in this life."

The confession caught Sesshomaru slightly off guard. Kagome talked of love before. The sincerity of the moment, however, was such as he hadn't heard before. Kagome was not angry or frustrated with him, explaining her world view. She was simply telling him her thoughts.

"And I could not make you happy?" he asked, unsure of what prompted him to say it.

Kagome peered into his golden irises. "I think . . ." She hesitated. "I respect you," she said, "and all the work you do. You are an intelligent person, no doubt. It's just that . . . personality factors into it, a lot." She sighed deeply. "I'm not used to being around you, and it unsettles me."

"And yet you try," Sesshomaru said. "To create understanding between us."

Giving a small smile, Kagome said, "What else can I do?"

()

Hey-o! Mattaki here, with another chapter up and running! It feels good to be writing this story again. I'm definitely glad I rewrote this, because it's much better than the last version of the story. I'm getting to know the characters and such with more depth and interaction.

Kyoko and Inuyasha show their faces again! I'm going to round out their relationship more than I did the last time, for sure. Kyoko is an OC I like because she's determined like Inuyasha, but smarter and more capable in certain areas. She'll have a lot more time in the future. I also plan to go ahead with Hatori's plot soon, and it'll be a bit different, but not too much, from his plot in the previous version.

Kagome and Sesshomaru are interacting~ Yay!

Thanks so much for reading, you guys. I love you all so much! And don't forget to review, it makes my face light up when I hear from my fans. The next chapter will be forthcoming, probably next week, so stay tuned! Thanks again!

Ja ne~


	23. The Offer

Hatori eyed the couple in the gardens below, his neko ears twitching at every sound. Kagome and Sesshomaru weren't killing each other, at least. But the energies the youkai lord gave off were not of a favorable nature. Pulling his head back inside, Hatori closed the window. Rin and Shippo sat on the other side of the room, playing with Shippo's Tinker Toys. Shippo was enthralled, but Rin seemed a tad bored. At eleven years old, she felt herself too grown to play with building blocks and the like. Hatori sat next to them, putting arbitrary pieces together.

"Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Kagome seem to be getting on well," he said, sticking his pieces onto the current structure. "They are not in a disagreement at the moment."

Rin took apart a few sticks from the top and repositioned them on the side of their tower. "Lord Sesshomaru doesn't hate her, I think." Rin paused, and nodded to herself. "He wouldn't talk to her at all if he did."

"And Mama's trying really hard." Shippo set his sticks down, running to the small dresser and taking more supplies from the bag Kagome gave him. When he returned, he said, "I think she knows she doesn't have options and she's making the best of it."

Hatori pondered on this for a moment. "But she has to feel frustrated."

Shippo shrugged, putting three wooden wheels together and adding them to the top. "Yeah, probably. At least Sesshomaru won't sneak around with other women. Inuyasha sucked with that."

"And who is Inuyasha?" Hatori asked, putting his toys aside. They were too distracting from the conversation.

Rin answered eagerly, "He was the inu hanyou, right?"

"And a jerk," Shippo scoffed. "He loved this miko, Kikyo, for years, and she ended up dying. Sango explained it 'cuz Mama didn't wanna talk about it." He shook his head. "It was really sad for Mama. She was traveling with Inuyasha to fix the Shikon no Tama, and he met Kikyo, back from the dead. She was a clay corpse or something." Shippo scratched his head. "It was a long story, but basically Inuyasha fell in love with Mama, but still had feelings for Kikyo and kept running around with her, in that clay body. Mama cried when he was gone and got mad when she saw him again afterward. I thought she should have dumped him right away."

"But," Hatori said, "that would make it worse, to be bound to his brother, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah." Shippo sighed. "They act different, but Sesshomaru kinda looks like Inuyasha. I wonder if Mama still thinks about Inuyasha sometimes."

"But Lord Sesshomaru is amazing," Rin said, frowning. "He's powerful and smart, and super nice to me. Although he does kill people who get in his way." Rin lowered her eyes. "Kagome probably doesn't appreciate that."

"Nope." Shippo crossed his arms. "Mama hates killing. But Inuyasha did a lot of it, and Mama herself killed some youkai, so maybe she can overlook it." He turned to Hatori. "Why are you asking about it, anyway? You barely know Mama and Sesshomaru."

"Oh." Hatori looked away. "I was curious, I suppose. Seeing them in the Mating Dance, the way they act, arose my suspicions about how they ended up in the situation."

"Magic!" Rin shouted, smiling and giggling. "Kagome found a rose that bound them together as mates, is what Jaken said to me. That's why they don't act friendly all the time."

"I heard about that." Hatori pulled the tie from his hair, and redid his ponytail. "It was all over the countryside, a youkai and human bound with the Hana no Shukumei. I thought . . ." Hatori paused, looking at the window again. "I thought it might be them."

"Mama will make it work," Shippo said confidently, patting a hand to his chest. "She has a strong heart. And she always finds the best in everyone. I bet she'll find the good in Sesshomaru, too."

Rin suddenly gasped, and jumped up. "I know!" she said. "Let's help them!"

"And how?" Shippo asked. "Mama won't want us interfering, I think."

Rin rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "They _need_ to realize that they're compatible. The Hana says they are, so it must be true. We can help them with that."

Hatori wrinkled his brow. "I don't know about this, Rin. Shippo is probably right."

"Oh, come on!" Rin sighed, and glared at the boys. "You two are boring. I'm doing this myself if you won't go with me." She turned, prepared to walk out the door. Shippo yelped, knocking the Tinker Toys down as he stood and grabbed Rin's wrist.

"Wait," he said. Rin turned, smiling. "I'll help," he conceded.

"I guess I'm helping as well." Hatori stood and joined the pair. "What will we do?"

Rin giggled again. "Kagome will see the truth about Sesshomaru very soon."

()

Sesshomaru watched Kagome take out the final item of their meal, turning her words over in his mind. She was trying to understand him because she had no other options. But the way she said them, '_What else can I do?_' was not the tone of someone who had given up on finding an escape. Rather, they were the words of someone seeking a solution. _And I,_ Sesshomaru thought,_ have grudgingly allowed her to put in all of her energy, with none of my own to add._

"Dessert!" Kagome announced, breaking his chain of thought. She set down a plate holding four mochi, two for each of them. "I asked Koneko for something sweet, but not too overwhelming," she said, taking one and biting into it. "Mm! They're good!" Kagome said, after swallowing.

Sesshomaru took one, but did not pay attention to the taste as he ate. He searched for something to say, to restart the conversation. _**Is that concern in your thoughts?**_ His youkai laughed. _Nothing from you,_ Sesshomaru replied. _It would be in bad taste to allow Kagome to create a one-sided bond. _He lowered his mochi, contemplating. _The other lords will notice if I disregard my future mate entirely. __They would not think highly of me for it. __**Yes,**_ his youkai replied, _**give yourself that empty excuse if it makes you feel better. **_

"You remind this Sesshomaru of Rin," he said, breaking away from his youkai. "With your liveliness."

Kagome stopped, and tried to smile. "Thank you. I like Rin a lot." To herself, she thought, _Sesshomaru is a lot more talkative than usual. I thought he would just sit here the entire time._

"She is kind and untainted by human life," Sesshomaru said, turning the mochi over in his hands. "She bore marks of abuse when I came upon her, and yet her smile has never wavered."

"_What?_" Kagome said, a hand flying to her mouth. "That's awful, that she was abused." She shook her head in disgust. "I can't imagine what kind of person would do that to a child."

"Humans are harsher in this world," Sesshomaru said, taking another bite. "If your mother is any indication, the changes in society between this era and your own are severely dissimilar. Rin was an orphan, and orphans in this time are simply extra mouths with no parents to teach them how to be useful. An unwanted burden."

Kagome scowled. "How can you say that? Children are a blessing!"

"I simply state the opinion of the majority," Sesshomaru said, finishing the dessert. "That is perhaps the one way in which human and youkai are alike. Many of them will not pause to rid themselves of nuisances like orphans. Rin may have died, had she not come with me."

"And why did you take her in?" Kagome asked. Sesshomaru glared, and she froze, afraid she had crossed a line. But the glare diminished, and Sesshomaru turned away from her.

"Rin . . ." Sesshomaru hesitated. "She was pathetic. Bringing me berries as if it would heal me. She refused to stop smiling at me.

"Heal you? When was this?" Kagome tried to think back. "Was this after your arm was hurt? No, we saw you again without her-"

"It was after an attack by my half-brother," Sesshomaru said, "before my opinion of Naraku dropped low enough for the spider to deserve to die. Rin found me in the process of healing and attempted to help. And she died."

There was a long pause.

Kagome stared at Sesshomaru, and her eyes flicked to his sword. "Tenseiga."

"I revived her as a test of my father's fang, and she chose to follow me. It has been that way since." Sesshomaru looked Kagome in the eye. "Is that the story you wished to hear?"

She nodded slowly. "Thank you," she said, "for letting me hear that. It's a tad sadder than I thought it would be. I guessed at why you had Rin . . . I never thought it was anything like that."

Sesshomaru observed the trees in the darkening sky. Creatures were crawling out of holes and caves to hunt. Stars illuminated the area. "Someday I will give her back to her own kind." The words escaped his lips before he could stop them. Rather than halt his speech, Sesshomaru thought for a moment, and continued, "She deserves a normal life. After Naraku is dead, I will bring her to a village and leave her there, where she may grow among them."

"And will she be happy?" Kagome brushed her hair aside, thinking of her own adopted son. "Will she want that?"

"It is what is best for her," Sesshomaru replied. He detected a hint of salt, and turned to see Kagome shedding a single tear. "Why do you cry?"

"I was thinking of Shippo." Kagome wiped her face. "It's selfish, but I can't help thinking about him when you speak of Rin. I've thought about leaving him to a youkai family, or something. The way you said that is right. It might be best to leave them with their own kind."

Sesshomaru watched a range of emotions cross her face, a mixture of hope and fear. The emotions of a mother wishing her child could stay in her arms forever. "He is young," he said, "and there will be time to think of what may be good for the children. Enjoy his company and care for him while he is with you."

Kagome nodded. "Yes, I can't be sad." She took another mochi, keeping it in her hand. "Especially not tonight." Kagome looked around as Sesshomaru had, taking everything in with eyes that could see more than her human vision ever would. "It's beautiful. The trees are starting to change color. I can't wait to see it in a month or so, when it's covered in orange and red."

"Hn." Sesshomaru didn't care for the colors. The changing of trees between seasons were noticeable, and nothing more.

"I suppose it's getting late now. We should be going soon." Kagome set the mochi back on the plate, and prepared to put it away.

A hand grabbed her wrist. Kagome looked up, startled. Sesshomaru let go, and took another mochi. "You must not let the dessert go to waste," he said, biting into it.

Kagome watched him eat for a moment. "Go on," he said after another bite. "Do not waste my food, Kagome." His use of her name, a rare occurrence, sparked Kagome awake. "Yes," she answered, taking the other mochi and beginning to eat it.

Crickets were chirping in the background. Kagome reached up to feel her elven ears, absorbing each sound as it happened. The mochi was slightly sweet, the rice paste one of the most delicious Kagome had tasted in quite a while. She peeked at Sesshomaru again, and saw the coming moonlight reflected off his hair. _If he can't be kind, at least he's beautiful,_ Kagome thought. _He's always been handsome, even when I thought he was evil. __**Say so,**_ her inner youkai prodded. Kagome hadn't heard the voice in a while. It was still mildly disturbing.

"You've probably had people tell you," Kagome said, hoping he wouldn't criticize her, "but I think you're a handsome youkai." She peered into his eyes. "I think the only thing I might have ever complimented you on before is your battle strength."

Sesshomaru paused, and said, "Thank you. Women are often commenting on my appearance."

"Oh!" Kagome blushed. "I didn't mean it like that! It's just, I didn't want to give you the same thing you'd heard from me already. And . . . I sincerely meant it," she said finally. "It wasn't an empty compliment like those noble women may have given you."

Sesshomaru finished the mochi. "Hn."

"Um . . ." Kagome struggled with what to say next. "I, uh, have nothing else to add, I guess," she said, giving up. "We should probably just pack up for the night." Kagome finished the mochi and began putting things away. It wasn't the best end to the conversation, but Sesshomaru talked more than she'd ever seen, which was an accomplishment in and of itself.

She stood, and said, "Would you mind moving? I have to put the blanket away." Sesshomaru complied, and Kagome put the blanket over the empty dishes in the basket. Kagome smiled at the daiyoukai warmly, and said, "Thank you for coming to eat with me, Sesshomaru. I know you didn't have to. It was nice to have a real talk with you." And it was true. Kagome didn't have to lie, because she enjoyed herself. Sesshomaru had been civil and more open than usual. It was a surprising and pleasant change in his normal demeanor.

"You are welcome," Sesshomaru said, beginning the walk back to the castle. Kagome followed by his side, the basket swinging slightly in her right hand. Sesshomaru looked at her from the corner of his eye, and focused on the moon glinting on her forehead. The mark exactly like his own. If the miko were to accept the mating fully, she would gain additional marks to individualize herself as a youkai and as his mate. His mother gained the crescent moon, but his father lost the family mark after betraying their mating with a human. Kagome's mark might disappear, if she were to leave him.

As of yet, that seemed impossible. Sesshomaru was unable to force Kagome to leave, due to the influence of the Hana. Whether Kagome would have the choice to abandon the mating of her own volition was a different question. If he had to guess, Sesshomaru would say that Kagome was not going to try anytime soon.

When they arrived at the castle entrance, Kagome turned to face him. "Thank you again," she said. "I had a nice time tonight, Sesshomaru."

He nodded, and said, "Yes. It was . . . a pleasant experience." He hadn't found it unpleasant, at the very least.

Kagome brushed her hair back, thinking of her own time. The picnic would be a date, as far as her modern friends were concerned. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, probably thought it a burden. "I liked talking about Rin," she added. "And everything else."

"Hn." _**Say something else, you imbecile,**_ Sesshomaru's youkai urged. _**She's trying hard to end this on a nice note. **_Sesshomaru looked at Kagome. What he wanted was to go back to his work. Kagome stared back, her deep blue eyes probing his. "If you wish," Sesshomaru found himself saying, "I would be willing to do this again." They were out before he could stop them, but to his surprise, Sesshomaru did not regret saying them. The twinge he felt when making an offer he did not care for, was not present.

Kagome's eyebrows shot up, and she stood in shock for a moment. "I, I'd like that!" She touched her hair again out of nervous habit. "Thank you." A pause. "For offering, I mean."

"Indeed. I have work to do." Sesshomaru turned and left, Kagome still standing by the door.

"Well that was quick," Kagome huffed, following.

Sesshomaru walked as fast as he dared, noting the number of servants busy attending to his guests. Dinner was over, and many of them would take baths and prepare for bed. The servants would be busy for quite a while. The moment he reached his office, Sesshomaru darted inside and locked the door.

"Curse you," Sesshomaru mumbled, and sat at his desk. _**You needed it,**_ his youkai replied. _**Besides, you wanted it.**_ _I did not want to offer another outing,_ Sesshomaru said in his mind, while beginning paperwork as a distraction. _Once was enough. __**And yet,**_ his youkai said, and chuckled, _**you admitted to yourself that you felt no regret in the offer. **_Sesshomaru did not answer.

Some minutes passed. Sesshomaru put away several complaints about food supply, and signed a few land agreements that had been awaiting a name for months. He picked up another paper, and stopped. What his inner youkai said was true. _For a change, _he thought, _I do not loathe the thought of meeting with her again. In fact . . . I may be looking forward to_ it.

()

Hi, everyone! This concludes another chapter. I hope you all liked it!

And so, it looks like our dear Sesshy may finally be warming up. As well, the children are becoming mischievous. I can't wait to write more and see where I can take the plot. Kagome and Sesshomaru are getting along better, though making their conversation flow naturally was the hardest part of the picnic to write.

For those who don't know, mochi are sweet treats made with rice paste. I wanted something really Japanese in their meal.

I don't have much else to say besides that. Other characters will be joining in the fun of the SessKag-ness very soon! Thank you so much for reading this, I really appreciate it. Don't forget to review! Review, review, review! They feed my writing soul! Thank you again!

Ja ne~


	24. The Need

"Left. Right. Dodge. Jump!" Sesshomaru barked commands that Kagome tried to follow, her steps flying away from his each second. "You are slow," he said, striking again. Kagome yelped and dodged at the last moment. "Hold your tongue, it gives away your position."

"Sorry!" Kagome said automatically, and chastised herself for speaking again. Sesshomaru's poison claws could melt her skin if they were to touch her, and Sesshomaru was not above harming her to teach a lesson. She was understandably panicked. The green venom was in front of her again. Kagome leapt aside, kicked off the back wall, and launched herself across the room. Sesshomaru turned to face her. Kagome's own hand, the same sickly green color, was at his neck.

"Finally got you," she panted, letting her hand down. The world spun, and Kagome yelped again. Sesshomaru had his foot planted on her stomach, his claws at her legs. "No," he said, "I have bested you. How many times must I remind you to wait for my surrender?"

Kagome frowned and stood when Sesshomaru freed her. "I'm not used to hand-to-hand combat," she complained, wiping dust off her training outfit. "I just point and shoot my arrow. Even the whip of light lets me keep a distance."

"If you do not learn close combat," Sesshomaru said, letting the poison fade from his fingers, "you will never be a powerful youkai. However, for your first time, you were not terrible."

"Thanks." Kagome smiled a little, but Sesshomaru did not return it. She never expected him to do so. A small part of her hoped for it, though. "Off to breakfast, I presume?"

Sesshomaru was halfway to the door. "Yes, Kagome." He used her name several times this morning. The affect was pleasant, as Kagome was less surly when addressed personally. Sesshomaru found he did not mind using her name as he might with another.

"I'll see you then." Kagome grabbed a towel she brought with her, drying off the sweat. Sesshomaru nodded, and left. The sun was rising, it being dark when Kagome was awoken by Koneko for early training. Today's session was on fighting with their poison claws. As with the whip, Kagome learned to use her poison after a few minutes, but utilizing it in battle proved difficult. "Ah, well," she said to herself. "I'll get used to it."

Finished, she took the towel and left the dojo, which was still in the middle of repairs. For the damage she'd done, Kagome was surprised how much was fixed already. After their training, Sesshomaru told her, many servants went to work fixing it for the day. Another week and it would be finished.

What brightened Kagome's day the most, was how Sesshomaru treated her. There was less contempt in his voice when they spoke, and he called her name and looked her in the eye more often. It made Kagome feel like an equal, though Sesshomaru still acted superior in plenty of other ways. _Maybe the picnic really did help,_ she thought.

"Kagome! Kagome!"

She turned, to spy Rin running toward her from the castle. "Hi, Rin!" Kagome waved, and walked to meet the child. Rin beamed and hugged Kagome tightly. "It's odd for you to be up this early," Kagome said, petting Rin's hair.

"But I had to, Kagome!" Rin looked up and stepped away. "I have something to show you."

"Oh?" Kagome followed Rin inside the castle and through the halls. The servants were up and about. No guests showed their faces. They would still be asleep, or preparing for breakfast. It would be a while before it was ready. Kagome removed her hair from its ponytail as they walked.

"You've seen my room, Kagome." Rin turned back briefly to smile at her. "Except this part."

"Hm?" Kagome raised an eyebrow. Rin did not elaborate. They walked up stairs and down another hall for some time, until they reached Rin's bedroom. As far as Rin knew, Shippo and Hatori were still asleep in their shared room. No one was in here yet. Kagome saw it a couple times, when visiting Shippo during their play.

Rin led her inside and walked to a far wall on the left. Kagome watched curiously, letting out a small gasp when Rin unlatched a hidden lock. "This," she said to Kagome, "is amazing." She yanked the concealed door open to reveal a room known previously to none except Rin and Sesshomaru.

Kagome let out a true gasp this time, eyes widening. Within this castle bedroom like any other, was a child's wonderland. Painted in bright reds and greens was a forest filled with lush flora and fauna. Kagome stepped behind Rin into the playroom, at the wooden toys scattered on the tatami mat floor. It was exactly like the rooms at Kagome's nursery school when she was young. Full of life.

"This is so pretty, Rin," she said, fingering the walls. "I never imagined you had a place like this hidden in your room."

Rin spun around to face Kagome. "I don't really play here anymore. I outgrew it. But after seeing how much you care for Shippo, and kids in general, I thought you would like to see it."

"It's beautiful," Kagome whispered. "Did Sesshomaru commission someone to make this?"

Rin grinned, picking up one of the toys, a wooden deer. "Even better, Kagome. Lord Sesshomaru did the paintings and made the toys himself."

Kagome's hand stopped in its tracing of the artwork. She turned to Rin, stunned. "What?"

Rin fingered the deer gently. "He did this himself. I asked him to. I said that it would never be as good if it was done by someone who didn't know me, who didn't love me the way Lord Sesshomaru does. And he spent days doing all this on his own." Rin lifted the deer, tracing the small dents carved in to resemble hair. "He put in a lot of details."

Kagome took the toy, eying it carefully. "The craftsmanship is impressive. I make stuff for my friends, but this is far beyond my skills." Kagome examined it for a few minutes, taking in the quality of the wood and intricacies in the face. "Sesshomaru did all of this?" She looked at the floor, at the other toys around her feet. Foxes, birds, youkai figurines, and huts were among them, every piece painted with accurate colors.

"Yes!" Rin smiled again. "He wouldn't have done it if I hadn't begged. I spent all my time here whenever we had to stop at the castle. I love this place, even if I don't play here much anymore."

"It's amazing, Rin," Kagome murmured, bending down to look at the other toys. The youkai figurines were of noble men and women, with long hair and bright eyes. After a moment, Kagome noticed two figurines in particular, and picked them up. "How cute!" she exclaimed.

They were figures of Rin and Sesshomaru. Rin had her classic smile and orange kimono. Sesshomaru was painted with a stoic expression, but closer inspection revealed a hint of a smirk. "He made those for my ninth birthday," Rin said, bending down with Kagome. "Lord Sesshomaru said I would probably be too old for the playroom soon, and wanted me to enjoy it while I could."

Kagome fingered the toys lovingly. "Wonderful craftsmanship, Rin," she said. "But I know why you brought me here." She stood, and raised an eyebrow. "Did you do this to show me something nice about Sesshomaru?"

Rin flinched, and shook her head. "N-no, of course not!" She waved at the walls around her. "I thought you liked kid stuff. I wanted you to see this because it's pretty and cute!"

"I _do_ like childrens' things," Kagome said. "And yet, I think you have a different reason." Kagome knelt to Rin's level, brushing her hair away. "Rin," she said, "this is nice. And, to be honest, I never would have thought Sesshomaru would do something like this." Kagome looked around the room once more, at the detail and care in every inch. "It does give me some perspective, and something to think about." Kagome faced Rin again. "But I don't want you doing this just because Sesshomaru and I don't love each other. These things take time, and interference is no help for either of us."

"That isn't fair!" Rin frowned. "You're so wonderful, Kagome, I have no idea why Lord Sesshomaru doesn't like you yet. You're kind, and smart, and strong. I can't help how he feels. But you haven't seen Lord Sesshomaru's other side. The side he shows to me, the tenderness. He takes care of me. When I was little, I always thought he was great." Rin lowered her eyes. "I'm older now. I realize he isn't like that all the time. He kills people that get in his way, and he's cruel. But I think he's lonely, too."

This made Kagome's eyes widen. "Lonely?" she asked. "How do you figure?"

Rin sighed. "All he ever does is travel with me and Jaken. When we're on the road, he never has the chance to have an intelligent conversation with an equal. And at the castle, all he does is work. I've never seen him with a friend, and his family is gone. He needs someone like him." She peered into Kagome's eyes. "Someone to love."

"Oh, Rin," Kagome said, and smiled. "Sesshomaru was alone a long time before you and Jaken came along. I'm sure he's fine."

"He didn't care when we weren't around!" Rin said adamantly, stamping her foot. "He was used to being alone, and he didn't need anyone else!" She clenched her fists. "I've thought a lot about how he was when I was younger, and I can tell now. How cruel he really was when I joined him. And how much he's changed since. I see something . . . in his eyes. When a noblewoman tries to warm up to him. There's a look. Like, he wishes he could get closer. And he's scared to do that, because the last person he cared about, his father, died for the woman he loved. He's scared to find happiness, Kagome." Rin looked pleadingly at her. "He needs you to open him up, to erase that fear."

All of this overwhelmed Kagome, and she shook her head. "You can tell all that?" she asked, patting Rin's shoulder. "You're eleven, Rin."

"And so I can't tell when someone needs something?"

Kagome shook her head again. "I don't mean it that way. I just mean, that Sesshomaru is more complicated than that. What he does and doesn't need are hard to discern. I know what _I _need, though, and what I need is to fall in love naturally." Kagome thought back to the day she found the Hana no Shukumei, the mysterious nature of the flower and her youkai status. "The Hana has changed everything I knew about how love works. I didn't think you could force people to love each other. But if the legend behind the Hana is true, Sesshomaru and I can fall in love, if you give us time." Kagome gave Rin a tender smile. "Be patient, Rin."

Rin looked away. "I suppose," she conceded. "Did you mean it, though?" She peeked at Kagome. "When you said this room changed your perspective on Lord Sesshomaru?"

Kagome paused, and nodded slowly. "I think so. It _is_ nice, to think he did all this for you." Kagome stood, and brushed the dirt from her clothes. "For now, let's get to breakfast. We'll be late if we don't hurry."

Rin nodded, leading Kagome from the room. "Kagome?" she asked, catching the miko as she was about to open the door. "Is it okay . . . if I call you Kagome-neechan?"

Kagome blushed. "You think of me that closely?"

"Of course I do! You're important to me, and I want to acknowledge that."

Her blush spreading, Kagome nodded. "All right, Rin. Thank you."

()

Rin slammed the door, and kicked the blankets free from the bed. Both boys graoned, and opened their eyes. Rin put her hands on her hips and frowned. "It didn't work."

Shippo bolted up, disappointment obvious on his face. "Really? After all that time we spent cleaning up your playroom so it looked nice?" Beside hime, Hatori sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Yes," Rin huffed again. "I hadn't gone in there since the last time we were at the castle. It was so much cleaner after we were done. But Kagome-neechan saw through my plan. She guessed I was doing it to improve her opinion of Lord Sesshomaru."

Shippo raised an eyebrow at Kagome's new honorific, but didn't question it. "Mama is smart. I'm not that surprised that she figured it out."

Rin sat on the bed, watching Hatori get up and straighten his hair out. Shippo did not move, and looked at her. "So it didn't help at all?"

"Well." Rin remembered Kagome's words. "She said it changed her perspective on Lord Sesshomaru. She also said she would have to think about it for a while. What does that mean?"

Shippo shook his head and grabbed his hair tie from his wrist, tying his hair back. "Mama likes to think about new information after she hears it. She probably wants to figure out if she'll like Sesshomaru better knowing he was nice enough to make that room for you."

"I guess it wasn't a total failure, then." Rin collapsed on the bed and stared at the ceiling. "I told her about Lord Sesshomaru, how I think he's lonely."

"And you are sure about that?" Hatori spoke for the first time, fully awake, and stood beside the bed. "The the Lord of the West needs a female companion?"

"Yeah!" Rin shot up. "Jaken says it's stupid, but I've seen how he looks at the women in the castle. He looks at them sometimes, and he never used to look at them. He pretended they didn't exist. Last time we were here, though, I saw him watching them. Especially the ones from powerful families. Even if he doesn't know it himself, Lord Sesshomaru wants someone to be with. Someone on the same level as him."

"If you say so." Shippo shrugged. "I don't think he's different."

"He is, trust me." Rin smiled at Shippo. "I've spent too much time around Lord Sesshomaru not to know. And that girl he needs has to be Kagome-neechan."

()

Mattaki, here again to say thank you for reading! I enjoy writing and hearing all your comments. The kids are up to shenanigans yet again, and Kagome isn't too dumb to see through it. I like developing Rin a bit more, especially since she's older than she was in the first InuYasha anime series. I haven't seen any of the newer InuYasha anime, although I hear it's good.

I'll be updating again next week. Thank you for reading, and please review! Ja ne~


	25. The Renewed Journey

Breakfast was almost empyt. The children entered the room, dressed for the day, and saw no one but Kagome, Sesshomaru, and Jaken at the table. Only two servants were standing by for service. Confused, they sat next to Kagome in silence.

"What's going on?" Shippo looked at Kagome with a raised eyebrow. "Where are all the guests?"

"They have fled to their homes," Sesshomaru answered, turning to the kit. "Naraku has been spotted in the area."

"What!" All three kids stared blankly at the youkai. "Are we leaving, then?" Rin asked tentatively. The days at the castle created an illusion of peace for their small family.

Sesshomaru nodded. "I advised my guests to attend to their lands personally and ensure their protection. We are leaving after this meal to pursue him."

Kagome, silent until this point, frowned at Sesshomaru. "Hatori has to wait for his grandfather to retrieve him. And he can't stay here by himself."

The daiyoukai narrowed his eyes at Kagome. "The servants will attend to him."

"No!" Kagome said adamantly. "If we leave, he's coming with us. His grandfather can wait here for him, if need be. I won't leave a child without a caretaker." Kagome stroked Hatori's hair gently, smiling at him. "Besides, Rin and Shippo really like him. Don't you?" Kagome turned to the other children.

"Yes!" Rin beamed. Shippo nodded in agreement. Kagome grinned triumphantly at Sesshomaru. The inu youkai looked at the band of four, all vying for the same goal.

"Lord Sesshomaru would not travel with a half-breed," Jaken interrupted, glaring at Hatori. "That filth might be allowed to stay here for the time being, but Lord Sesshomaru-"

A loud smack reverberated around the room. Jaken lay on the floor, Sesshomaru having moved so quickly that he appeared to stay still. "Fine," he conceded, looking at Kagome. "The hanyou kit may travel with us. I will leave a message with the guards to alert his grandfather of the situation."

Kagome smiled. "Thank you, Sesshomaru. This means a lot."

"It means a lot to me," Hatori added. "It would be lonely at the castle by myself."

"Hn. Let us eat, and we will prepare to depart."

Without the guests around to create noise, breakfast was near silent. The children chatted among themselves. Jaken, when he recovered, ate quickly and sat somberly, ready to answer to anything Sesshomaru asked. Kagome watched them, wondering what this might mean. Tracking Naraku was of utmost priority. However, the Hana no Shukumei might complicate the effectiveness of their band. Her need to collect shards could also slow them slightly. Not things Sesshomaru wanted.

_I could try to work on the Mating Dance on the road,_ she thought, biting into her bread. _But __Sesshomaru will want to focus on Naraku. _

"Kagome."

She jumped, and turned to Sesshomaru. "Yes?"

"You will be provided with a new quiver and arrows," Sesshomaru said, "made by professionals. They will improve your accuracy and miko abilities. I will also continue your instructions in youkai power, on a less frequent basis."

Kagome gave a small smile. "That's very considerate, Sesshomaru. Thank you. I suppose all the help I can get in improving is needed if we want to take down Naraku." Her brow wrinkled. "It's hard to believe how powerful he is becoming. We'll need all of our resources."

"Any way we can help?" Shippo asked. "My fox fire and illusions are a lot better than they used to be."

"I know, sweetie." Kagome gave Shippo a pat on the head. "But Naraku is too powerful for that. If we encounter him, I want you kids to stay as far away as you can. It's dangerous."

Shippo pouted, resuming his meal. Kagome shook her head at his predictability. Shippo was useful in battle, but only against minor youkai. Someone like Naraku would not hesitate to kill a child, regardless of age or species. Shippo and Rin were both in danger of his power. Not to mention Hatori, while he stayed with them. Kagome refused to be responsible for their deaths.

"Jaken, prepare Ah-Un," Sesshomaru commanded the imp.

"Yes, my lord!" Jaken hopped from his chair and scuttled from the dining hall. The servants began clearing his plate, and a few of the empty food plates. Kagome looked out the window, seeing the sun rising in the sky. Today would be warmer than usual.

"I'll start getting ready." Kagome stood, and waved to everyone. "I'll wait outside when I have my stuff." She opened the door, and left.

Sesshomaru watched her carefully, and saw worry in her face as she exited. Kagome had a reprieve from Naraku while staying at his home. Sesshomaru guessed she nearly forgot about the threat of the evil hanyou. They rested long enough, and Sesshomaru dealt with all he could for his land before wind of Naraku was heard in the palace. Too many of the nobles did not need Sesshomaru to advise leaving immediately, most in the middle of the night. He felt the absence from the moment he awoke.

After eating, Sesshomaru went outside to check on the condition of his loyal dragon. The stable near the dojo was forbidden to all not authorized to care for Ah-Un. Jaken had his saddle and muzzle placed firmly, and was leading the creature from the small building. Sesshomaru stopped in front of it, eying the imp. "Jaken."

"My lord!" Jaken startled, spooking Ah-Un and causing the dragon to pull him sharply to the left. Jaken yelped, sticking his feet in the ground and yanking the dragon straight again. "He is ready, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken announced.

"Good. Take him to the gate." Sesshomaru turned, reentered the castle, and went into his office. Many of the papers scattered about were organized, with a few new sheets on the table. Sesshomaru double checked his work, noting the number of complaints from subjects about food, and resolved to deal with the issue on their next visit. He locked the door and turned to wait at the gate with Jaken.

He paused. An odd feeling itched at the back of his mind. Sesshomaru frowned, and followed where the feeling was leading him. He opened the door, and smelled salt.

It was Kagome. She was in the middle of packing her bag, laughing and crying at a book in her lap. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, and said, "Kagome."

"Huh?" She looked up. "Oh, Sesshomaru. Sorry." She closed the book and placed it in her bag. "I just found my photo album when going through my stuff. I hadn't seen it in a long time and it made me think about some stuff." Kagome stood, starting to close her yellow backpack.

Sesshomaru halted the zipper, and removed the photo album. "Hey!" Kagome objected, trying to grab it. Sesshomaru avoided her hand and opened the book.

Miniature portraits lay inside, all showing with incredible detail the exploits of Kagome and her friends. "What are these?" Sesshomaru asked, pointing to the page.

"Photos," Kagome said, sighing. She would not get her book back. "They're like tiny paintings, taken in a few seconds with a machine from my time. They record moments in time." She stepped next to Sesshomaru and indicated a photo of herself and Sango, taken when Sango first cut her hair. "I keep them to remember happy things."

"Hn." The tiny pictures, 'photos,' were one of the few objects of the future Sesshomaru had seen up close. He had not bothered to observe anything when in Kagome's home time. Many of the pictures did not have Kagome herself, focused on her friends from both this era and her own. Three girls were smiling in one, all with black hair and brown eyes. _They must be the human friends of her time,_ he thought, turning the page.

"I hadn't looked at them in a while," Kagome said. "I got a little emotional. If I can have it back, I'll put it away and we can go downstairs to leave."

"Allow me to keep this a moment," Sesshomaru said, continuing to look through the pictures. Many had his brother in them, teasing the fox kit or glaring. One picture was of Kagome with Inuyasha, the two smiling and holding hands. His brother had a slight blush. Sesshomaru felt the impulse to growl, and held back. "Here." He closed the book and handed it to Kagome.

"I can show you more later, if you want," Kagome offered, placing the book in her backpack again. "I've never really shown you any stuff from the future, have I?"

"Hn. I will be outside." Sesshomaru left quickly, catching Kagome's words of, "Hey, wait-" before he shut the door.

Kagome frowned, and set to finish her packing. All her possessions were in the bag, with the exception of a small wooden box on the vanity table. Kagome picked it up slowly, and slid the top back to view the inside.

The rose was pristine, the delicate purple shimmering in the light. It refused to die. Kagome was sure to keep it near her, lest she become sick again. At least she didn't have to worry about Sesshomaru taking it away from her.

Looking at the rose, Kagome was reminded of the Mating Dance. She had to accept Sesshomaru's ability to protect her. There was no doubt in her mind that he was physically capable. The daiyoukai was famous for his strength, and she'd seen him in battle. But Kagome refused to move on with the second step of the Mating Dance until she felt emotionally safe with him. She would not let Sesshomaru bully and talk down to her.

_He hasn't been doing that lately, though,_ she thought, placing the rose back in its box. Sesshomaru was civil, a tad irritated at worst. However, Kagome did not sense as much anger surrounding him when she was near. Rather than treating her like a nuisance or inconveneince, he was treating her as just another youkai. Not to be shown affection, and Kagome wondered if he would ever feel the need to show affection towards her, but not to be ignored, either. It was progress.

Kagome discarded the kimono she'd worn to breakfast, and donned a haori and hakama, both dark blue, tied with a white obi. The clothes were durable, and she was a more difficult target for her enemies without her old school uniform, which sat at the bottom of her backpack. Kagome felt silly wearing the uniform after graduating, anyhow. She slung her backpack on her shoulders and left the bedroom. The halls were eerily empty, something Kagome noticed on her way to changing from her training outfit. The nobles were truly worried for their lands after hearing word of Naraku.

Outside the castle gate, the children, Ah-Un, and Jaken awaited. Sesshomaru was nowhere to be found. Kagome jogged to the kids, all three sitting on Ah-Un's back. "Hey!" She smiled at them. "Ready to go?"

"Sure thing, Mama." Shippo smiled back and jumped into her arms. Kagome hugged him tenderly.

"I apologize for any inconvenience," Hatori said, turning to Kagome. "I did not mean to anger Lord Sesshomaru when I requested that I come with you."

"Psh," Kagome said, setting Shippo back on Ah-Un. "I'll be dead before I let a little kid stay at this big castle by himself. "Where is Sesshomaru, by the way?"

"Milord is preparing the castle for his absence," Jaken said, crossing his arms. "He must ensure that everything is in order. He has responsibilities, unlike some of us." Jaken eyed Kagome unfavorably. "He cannot just pick himself up and leave at a moment's notice."

Kagome nodded, trying not to be irritated with the imp. "I wasn't implying that he didn't. It was only a question, Jaken."

The imp frowned, and said, "You will not address me so impolitely, you little-" His words were cut short by a loud thwack.

Kagome looked up at Sesshomaru, whose foot was planted on Jaken's head. "Are you prepared to leave?" he asked, taking his foot away. Jaken rubbed his head as he stood, not daring to complain.

"Hi, Sesshomaru. Yes, I think so." She turned to the children. "Shall we leave?"

"Let's go!" Rin pumped her fist in the air. "Onwards to find Naraku!"

They began on a path through the forest. The road was carved on until the borders of the Eastern lands, at which point it turned south. Sesshomaru could not yet detect Naraku's scent, or other traces of him. When they found something, they would abandon the road and follow the spider's trail.

As they were walking, Sesshomaru motioned Kagome next to him. Tied next to his swords were a bow and quiver, hidden underneath his Mokomoko. Sesshomaru pushed the fur aside to untie them. "These will be your new weapons, Kagome." He offered them to her.

Kagome's eyes widened as she took the weapons. The quiver was thicker than her current one, covered in a strong hide that she didn't recognize. The arrow tips were made of a fine iron, carved to such sharpness that Kagome would cut her fingers if they happened to brush against the metal. She nodded to Sesshomaru, and said, "Thank you. They're well made." She stopped on the path to put her old weapons away and place the new ones on the side of her bag.

"Sesshomaru is serious, then." Shippo frowned. "This is a hunt."

"We're always searching for Naraku, but this feels different," Rin agreed. "I think Lord Sesshomaru is tired of never being able to catch him."

"It may have to do with the loss of supplies."

The children looked down. Jaken was leading Ah-Un, not facing them. However, he spoke again, saying, "Milord's lands have been losing food rapidly. He suspects Naraku is the cause. The suffering of his people and of those in the surrounding lands is not tolerated when such a dispicable hanyou is responsible for it."

"Do not put words in this Sesshomaru's mouth, Jaken." The daiyoukai glared once, before turning back to the trail. "You are lucky that you have guessed correctly."

"It's true?" Kagome tightened her grip on her bag. "Naraku is destroying the resources of this land?"

"In an attempt to provoke me," Sesshomaru said. "He knows not who he is dealing with."

()

Mattaki at your service! Hi, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was shorter, since I didn't have much time to work this weekend. My graduation party is upcoming, and I've been working a summer job that takes up all my time. Next week's chapter will be longer, I promise.

Back on the hunt for Naraku, and this time it's personal. Sesshomaru never liked the spider, but in the canon anime I felt he was more indifferent than anything else. I wanted to give him a more personal reason for trying to find Naraku. Hopefully this will work the way I want.

Thanks so much for reading! I love all your comments and suggestions. Although I've been getting some negative reviews of 'A Mysterious Flower' lately. I hope some of you remember that I was thirteen when I wrote it. I'm a better writer now, and am reworking the first story into 'Roses Aren't Red' to try and redeem myself a little. Anyway, please please review, I like hearing everyone's opinions. Thanks again!

Ja ne~


	26. The Reunion

The tiger roared loudly, the sound ringing through the air. Below her flaming feet, red and orange trees flashed by. Crimson eyes observed the surroundings. Another roar loosed itself into the clouds. A hand brushed the furred head.

"Kirara," Sango cooed, "calm down. We can't make a fuss. Naraku was spotted not too long ago. We'll be lucky to catch his trail. Now, focus on any scents you find." The youkai huntress sat back, shifting her hiraikotsu. Her hair was tyed in a short ponytail, slowly growing longer. After marrying Miroku, she decided to cut it in honor of a new life, but after Kagome left, all Sango wanted was her old way of living.

"Sango." Miroku put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You're tense."

"It's been tough," she admitted, releasing a sigh. "Fall is coming. The colors are changing, and it's getting colder. Kagome used to say she loved watching the leaves change." She cast her eyes down.

Miroku tightened his grip on Sango. "It's been a couple of weeks. It isn't as if Kagome has been missing for years. And I'm sure we will see her again."

"But Inuyasha and Shippo are gone too!" Sango turned to Miroku in frustration. "Kagome was the glue keeping us all together. We're more seperated than we've ever been. She's stuck with the most emotionless youkai I know, because some stupid flower put her there. It's just . . ." Sango faced forward again. "Kagome deserves so much more. To meet a wonderful man who will treat her correctly, fall in love, and be happily married."

"Like us?" Miroku asked. "Hunting down Naraku?"

Sango shrugged. "If only she could be with someone she loves. I can't see her being with Sesshomaru."

"You couldn't see yourself with me, either," Miroku whispered, leaning his chin on her shoulder. Sango blushed, and shook him off.

"It took a long time!" she said indignantly. "And you're kind on the inside. Even Inuyasha would have been okay if it hadn't been for that Kikyo nonsense. Who knows where he ran off to. But Sesshomaru is a stoic bastard that kills anyone in his way."

Miroku chuckled. "Inuyasha was worse before you met him. Being with Kagome changed him, made him softer." Miroku twirled his staff lightly between his fingers. "I think she can change Lord Sesshomaru as well. Time will reveal all the answers."

"Hm." Sango pulled hair from her face, and commanded, "Lower, Kirara."

The day was long and empty. Throughout the search, thoughts of Kagome and her well being infected Sango's mind. The miko was a little sister to her. Kagome required protection despite being strong in her own right. The thought of Sesshomaru constantly mistreating or ignoring her sent shivers down Sango's spine.

It wasn't as bad as when Kagome first left. Sango hadn't slept for three days. Shippo was fine if he was with her, the kit wouldn't let himself be affected by a bad mood. Kagome herself was sensitive and emotional. She succumbed to depressions easily, though her strength had improved largely as she grew. Despite this, Sango couldn't help thinking the worst.

"It's getting dark," Miroku said, looking at the sunset. "We should make camp for the evening."

()

"Dinner is ready!" Kagome announced, pouring the last of the water into her cup. "Everyone gather around!" She took the group of forks in her hand, passing them out to the children. She offered it to Jaken, but he turned his nose up.

"I will not use your ningen tools." He reached into his sleeve, pulling out a set of wooden chopsticks. "I always carry my own utensils for times such as this."

"Suit yourself," Kagome said, and rolled her eyes. She handed Jaken and the kids their Cup O' Noodles, glad to have her own food to eat. It was a comforting taste of home that she enjoyed. And it was nice to have a dinner that didn't take long to prepare. She shook the metal pan and set it upside down on the ground to let the water drip dry. The fire snapped and cracked, filling their camp with soothing noises.

"It's good, Kagome-neechan!" Rin dug into her noodles, flavored water spilling from the plastic container.

"Indeed. A strange dish," Hatori said, turning his cup in his hands, "but delicious. From your home land?" he asked, and looked at her. Kagome nodded, knowing she could not tell Hatori about where she was actually from.

Sesshomaru had disappeared over an hour ago. Kagome guessed he was hunting for Naraku's trail. She offered to go with him, but he was adamant about going alone. Kagome wondered if it was his normal stoic personality, or if he wanted her to keep an eye on the kids.

"Rin, eat quietly!"

"But Master Jaken, it's so good!"

Kagome rolled her eyes again. The imp was not the best babysitter, that was for sure.

Sesshomaru watched the small scene from the air, the cloud beneath his feet shifting with the coming wind. Kagome gently separated the arguing youkai and young girl, to peacefully settle the issue. Her patience was great. Sesshomaru would simply have hit Jaken to end it.

His attempts to find any trace of Naraku proved fruitless. The spider was too good at hiding his scent if he did not want to be found. It would not surprise Sesshomaru if Naraku let himself be seen simply to hide away and frustrate his enemies. He was playing a game with them, and Sesshomaru would not stand for it.

Why he did not rejoin the group for dinner, Sesshomaru was unsure. It was mildly intriguing to watch Kagome handle the dispute, for her to prepare her food from the future era, to see the children smile and laugh as they ate. It was a happy atmosphere. With himself, Rin, and Jaken, the conversation was purely Rin talking of what she had seen and what she thought of the world. As Rin grew, she talked less and was not as excitable as she used to be. Before Kagome had come, their nights were fairly quiet. Rin was coming of age as a human, and a shift in the dynamic was what Sesshomaru expected.

However, when Kagome and Shippo were introduced, Rin began acting the way she used to again. She talked and laughed and played. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at the thought. Was she not entertained with his company any longer? Or was it simply the presence of new people that brought out her old self?

From the south, a wind suddenly blew past, carrying the scent of a youkai. Sesshomaru turned to the wind and inhaled deeply. It was a familiar scent. Behind it followed two others. Sesshomaru's mind flashed to the day he last encountered them.

The day Kagome left with him. The scents were those of her two friends, the monk and youkai slayer, riding on the feline youkai. Not threatening in the least, and a sign of others hunting Naraku. The word of his sighting was spreading fast. Sesshomaru followed the scent through the sky.

Their camp was only a few miles away. Sesshomaru settled on the ground just beyond the light of their fire, and masked his scent. They would not know he watched them unless Sesshomaru chose to reveal himself.

The two were resting by fireside. The youkai slayer had her head lain on the monk's shoulder. Sesshomaru recalled that they were married. The feline sat in the slayer's lap, and yawned. Giving up on the facade, Sesshomaru dropped the mask on his scent and entered the camp.

The feline yelped, and hissed. Both humans looked up, eyes wide upon discovering who it was.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Sango stood and positioned herself for battle. "What are you doing here?"

"Calm yourself, Sango," Miroku said, keeping his seat. "This is our dear friend's mate, after all." He turned to Sesshomaru, and smiled. "What brings the great daiyoukai of the West to us on this lovely evening? Surely not simply conversation?"

Sesshomaru eyed the monk. "You are hunting Naraku."

"Yes," Sango answered. "What is it to you?" Her stance relaxed slightly.

"I hunt him as well," Sesshomaru said, keeping his eyes on the monk.

Sango reached behind her and gripped her hiraikotsu tightly. "I wouldn't expect you to come for that. If anything, I thought Kagome would come if you knew of our presence." She narrowed her eyes. "You despise anything human, don't you?"

"True enough." Sesshomaru continued to look at the monk, as waves of anger flowed from the slayer. "Kagome does not know you are here. Our camp is not particularly close, and I followed your scent to discover if you were pursuing a similar goal as myself. Naraku is allowing others to find traces of him to provoke a hunt."

"Indeed." Miroku put a finger to his chin in thought. "But we have no choice except to play Naraku's twisted game. It's the only way to have a chance at catching him."

"Hn." Sesshomaru listened carefully to the sounds of the night. Animals and youkai alike would be out soon. "I will be going."

"Hold up!"

Sesshomaru turned, finally facing the slayer. Sango frowned at him. "If Kagome knew we were here, she would want to see us, I'm sure. We're coming to see her."

"Do what you wish," Sesshomaru said, summoning the cloud beneath his feet. He lifted into the air slowly, and looked back at the two humans. "But do not involve this Sesshomaru in it."

With that, Sesshomaru was gone. The two watched where he had been standing, mesmerized. After a moment, Sango snapped out of it, and grabbed Kirara. "Come on, we have to see Kagome."

"Sango," Miroku said, standing as Kirara began to transform. "Is this a good idea?"

"Yes!" Sango jumped onto the tiger's back. "I miss her, and I'm going to visit. Come on."

Miroku stood firm, refusing to budge. "My dear," he said gently, "I'm not sure if this is wise. Kagome has spent the last couple of weeks with Lord Sesshomaru, learning to live with him, and maybe even growing to like him." He sighed. "As much as we do not like or trust him, the daiyoukai is destined for her. If we visit, Kagome may remember how much she liked her old life. She might begin to resent being with Lord Sesshomaru. Do you want to do that to her?"

Sango blushed, and turned away. "But," she said, "she's my friend. And if she resents him just because we're around to remind her of her happiness," Sango said firmly, facing Miroku again, "then she shouldn't be with Sesshomaru in the first place. Fly, Kirara!"

"Sango!" The tiger flew into the air, Miroku helplessly staring from the ground. In a wave of fur and flames, Kirara was gone. Miroku knocked his staff against his forehead. "You're an idiot," he said to himself. "And now your wife is gone."

()

The sun was gone, and the stars played in the heavens above. Ah-Un breathed heavily in his sleep. Beside him, three children curled into one another for warmth. Jaken leaned against a tree and snored. The fire was low. Kagome placed a few more branches on it, and blew life into the flames. Sesshomaru had yet to return.

Kagome sat cross-legged and opened her bag. Inside were a few books, and Kagome took an older one out. It had a bookmark near the middle. Kagome removed the mark and began reading. The tales of adventure and hardship were a distraction in the quiet night.

From the far left, Kagome heard a noise. Closing her book, she turned to see something flying closer to the camp. A small sniff revealed Sesshomaru's scent. Kagome stood and waited, wondering if he would have news on Naraku.

"Hello," she said, when he landed. The other group members did not stir. "Anything?" she asked, knowing he would need no explanation.

"No," he answered, sitting beside a tree. "It is late. Get some rest."

Kagome rolled her eyes at his predictability. "Can't we talk for a few minutes?" She sat again and set her backpack aside. "Everyone else is asleep. We can chat."

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "I suppose you want to get to know each other more?"

"Yes," Kagome said, holding in a sharp tongue. "Since the picnic, you haven't been as cruel. I thought that might mean you could tolerate me a little better."

Sesshomaru thought to open his mouth again, when both he and Kagome heard another noise. Sesshomaru was aware of what it was, and ignored it. Kagome watched the sky intently, her eyes widening as she took in the scent on the wind.

"It can't be," she whispered, taking a step forward. Louder, she said, "Sango!"

"Kagome!" The youkai slayer waved from the air, Kirara beginning a descent. Soon they landed, out of sight, and quickly appeared from the midst of the trees, Sango with twigs in her hair and Kirara still in tigress form.

"Sango!" Kagome ran to her beloved friend, and gripped her tightly. "It feels like it's been ages!" The two released each other and smiled. "How are you and Miroku getting along? Where is he?"

Sango shrugged. "He stayed at camp. He didn't want to bother you and Sesshomaru, I guess." Sango narrowed her eyes at the daiyoukai sitting some distance away. "But after seeing Sesshomaru, I couldn't pass the chance to see you, too."

"You saw her?" Kagome turned to Sesshomaru. "And you didn't tell me?"

"The slayer followed me here," he said. "I did not need to inform you of our meeting."

Ignoring this, Kagome faced Sango again. "I can't believe you just showed up. Why don't we sit down and talk?" Kagome led them to the fire, and they sat. "So, how are you?"

"All right. We, uh . . ." Sango diverted her gaze. "Inuyasha wanted to be with Kikyo after you left. And when we tried to tell him that he couldn't just replace you, he-"

"Killer her, I know," Kagome said quietly. "I ran across Inuyasha, and he told me."

The two were silent for a few minutes. "After that," Sango continued, pushing the subject away, "we continued hunting for Naraku. It wasn't until recently that we heard anything. He's as good at avoiding unwanted conflict as ever."

As the females were catching up, Kirara resting at the edge of the trees, Sesshomaru turned his mind to their hunt. The reports of Naraku stated that he was seen in the mountainous area. They would need to travel a few days to reach the mountains. He looked to the two women. If Kagome wanted to travel with her old friends, she would need to think again.

"And who is this?" Sango raised an eyebrow and pointed to Hatori. "A new friend?"

"Yes." Kagome sighed. "He's an orphan, of sorts. He was waiting at Sesshomaru's palace for his grandfather to take him home, and we had to leave due to Naraku. He would have been all alone there, so we brought him with us. The servants will inform his grandfather of what happened if he shows up before we get back."

"He's adorable." Sango put a hand near his neko ears without touching them, for fear of waking him. "And is he a hanyou?"

"Yes."

Sango turned to Sesshomaru. "I never thought you would tolerate a hanyou."

The daiyoukai did not look at her, and said, "Kagome is responsible for the young one."

The night continued like this, Sango and Kagome chatting with little interference from Sesshomaru. The moon rose high above them, and the other group members continued to sleep peacefully. Eventually, Kagome realized how late it was.

"You should get back to Miroku," she told Sango, smiling a little. "I'm sure he misses you."

"I suppose." Sango brushed her hair back. "I wish he had come with me."

"I'll go back with you," Kagome offered, and the two stood. Kagome listened closely to the forest around them, but only animal noises could be heard. "Sesshomaru, I'll return soon."

Sesshomaru frowned at her. "Kagome, it is dangerous in the night. The slayer can return to her camp by herself."

Kagome smiled at him. "I can take care of myself, Sesshomaru. I'm an inu now, too, remember. I'll bring my new arrows if it makes you feel better." She grabbed the bow and quiver from beside her pack, equipping them easily.

Sesshomaru stood. "I do not think this wise."

"Trust me," Kagome said, stepping close to him. "I'm strong, especially thanks to your teaching me how to use my powers. Don't wait up for me." With this, Kagome turned to the tiger youkai and mounted her. "Come on, Sango. I can say hi to Miroku when we get to your camp."

Staring between the two, Sango slowly mounted Kirara, and the three were flying. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, a strange feeling boiling in his heart. _I know this feeling,_ he thought, detesting the change in himself. _I am worried for her._

Sango kept an eye on Sesshomaru as they flew, before turning to face ahead. Kagome sat behind her with a tight grip on Kirara.

"Kagome," Sango said slowly, a bit louder than usual because of the wind around them, "did Sesshomaru just call you by name?"

"Oh, yeah." Kagome shrugged. "He began doing it a while ago. I think he knows that I get in a bad mood if he calls me 'miko' and 'woman' all the time."

Sango turned to look at her. "Kagome, I don't think he wouldn't do that just for convenience's sake. Sesshomaru doesn't even address his own brother by name." Her brow wrinkled. "He must be comfortable with you around, to do that."

Kagome's heart skipped a beat, and she briefly wondered why. "I guess you could put it that way. Sesshomaru is much less hostile towards me. I think we're able to get along a lot better than we did a few weeks ago. It's impressive, actually, the change that's happened in such a short time." Kagome looked at her hands, thinking of Sesshomaru's words of warning.

Sango looked at Kagome's expression, and chuckled. The miko was falling in love again.

()

"I am so glad to see you are all right, Kagome." Miroku hugged her tightly. "Have a safe trip back to your camp. Kirara can accompany you, if you wish."

Kagome pulled back from the hug. "Kirara has flown enough for one night. I'll get back on my own just fine."

"We'll visit again if we cross paths," Sango said, patting Kagome's shoulder. "If we're both hunting Naraku, that might be sooner rather than later. Take care, Kagome."

The goodbyes were sad, and weighed heavily on Kagome's heart. Seeing that the spouses were safe and happy was enough to reassure her. As she began walking from camp, Kagome thought of how their group used to be. Inuyasha had run away, Kikyo was gone, she and Shippo were with Sesshomaru, and the spouses were finally alone in a way they didn't want to be. The situation was a blow up in everyone's face. Kagome wondered what might have happened, had Shippo not found the Hana no Shukumei that day. If it was truly her destiny, Kagome would have found it one way or another. But maybe, if it was a year or two from now, things might be different. Perhaps the group wouldn't have severed so completely.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar smell. Kagome looked up to see Sesshomaru, waiting for her. She stopped and stared at the stoic expression on his face.

"I told you I'd be fine," Kagome said quietly, touching her bow. "You didn't need to follow."

"Perhaps," he replied, "but it was my wish to escort you back, regardless."

"Oh." Kagome nodded. "All right then. You can lead the way, if you want."

The two walked beside each other in silence. Sango's words flowed through Kagome's mind like a beehive, and she tried to shake them off. It was only a couple of weeks. There couldn't be that much change in Sesshomaru. Kagome was only another person in his life.

Sesshomaru glanced down at her, and saw the confusion in her face. She was conflicted. He, too, was not quite himself. His claws flexed as his mind whirled. The desire to ensure Kagome's safety was not one that he liked. _**Somebody has a new friend, and it's Kagome,**_ his youkai chanted. Sesshomaru clenched his teeth. His heart was too soft for his own good.

()

Hey, everyone. Mattaki here, once again. I hope you guys liked this chapter. Just like I promised, it's longer than the last one by a couple pages. I wanted to have Kagome encounter some old friends, after being with Sesshomaru for a while. Although I looked back at the timeline of the story, and realized that, because the chapters are so short, it's only been a couple weeks since Kagome started traveling with Sesshomaru. It feels like a lot longer! Such is the writing life, I suppose.

More Inuyasha, Kikyo, and SessKag goodness in the chapter to follow. Thanks so much for reading! Please, please review!

Until next time, ja ne~


	27. The Confusion

Hey, guys! Sorry it's been so long. I had a graduation party and college stuff to gather, it's been hectic. Here's the next chapter!

()

Newly discovered feelings fluttered in the hearts of two who refused to be in love. Soft brown eyes watched them as they slept. A young miko overcoming heartbreak and trying to be strong for her loved ones. A daiyoukai unwilling to show any type of weakness. They had noticed each other over the years. He saw her power and kindness, the purity of her soul. She saw his determination and elegance, the ongoing need to prove himself as the strongest alive. Both knew each other, and did not know each other. And as they spent time together, similarities were revealed. The daiyoukai was as devoted to his loved ones as the miko. The miko had abilities to rival the daiyoukai, should she learn how to unlock her potential. The Hana no Shukumei was right to place them together.

Kikyo's poetic musings drifted through her mind lazily. What she could see, separated from the physical world, was obvious and frustrating. If the two would only give each other a chance, they would fall in love almost as quickly as Kagome had fallen for Inuyasha. Underneath their bodies, Kikyo could see a pink aura, twisting and begging for release. The blossoming of their love.

As she traveled with the group, wishing she could rest, Kikyo became acutely aware that her soul would not leave Kagome. It wanted to return to its original vessel, to the state it had before it was ripped out by a witch and placed in a clay body. But the turmoil in Kagome's environment blocked Kikyo's entrance. A soul that was not at peace with itself would not allow repair. Until Naraku was banished and life put at ease, Kagome and Kikyo could never rejoin into one being.

Knowing this, Kikyo settled for watching over her other half. The search to find and kill Naraku was one that worried Kikyo, but as a departed soul fragment, she also felt a detachment to the situation that she had not felt before. It was easier to see the reason behind failures and not lament that she could not help. However, it was also easy to see the follies in emotion that both Kagome and Sesshomaru were going through. Like listening to a good story, Kikyo felt put off by their handling of the situation, and intrigued at what might happen next.

A small noise caught her attention, and Kikyo turned to see Kagome stirring. The miko shifted, and opened her eyes. Slowly, she sat up and yawned. It was past midnight, her body forced awake by an unsettling sensation. She rubbed her eyes gently, and looked around. Everyone else was asleep. Sesshomaru appeared to rest, with his eyes closed. Kagome guessed he was awake.

On cue, the magenta tinted lids opened as if the daiyoukai only blinked. His eyes were immediately upon Kagome, and the two stared at each other. Kagome stood and picked up her bow.

"Where are you going?"

She sighed, expecting that question. "The bathroom, if that's all right with you. I'll be back in a couple of minutes." Kagome hoisted her bow across her torso and jogged from camp. Tree leaves rustled behind her.

Sesshomaru watched her leave, and flexed his claws. The hunt for Naraku would slow their progress in the Mating Dance, something Sesshomaru preferred to finish sooner rather than later. And if he was completely honest with himself . . .

He did not dislike Kagome, or even tolerate her presence. Sesshomaru wanted her near. As with Rin, and even Jaken, she had turned from a nuisance to a companion. It irritated him beyond belief, and he could not voice his opinion.

_**Is that so bad?**_ his inner youkai questioned. _**You are allowed to enjoy her company. **_

_It is a matter of principle,_ Sesshomaru shot back.

At that moment, he heard rustling again, and Kagome reentered the camp. She sat down and removed her bows. "Yes?" she asked, knowing Sesshomaru was looking at her.

"I did not ask anything," Sesshomaru replied.

"But you're staring," Kagome said. "I'd like to know why."

A thousand responses ran through Sesshomaru's mind, and not one of them satisfied him. What he wanted to say and what he wanted to do were on either side of a sliding scale. However, it was late, everyone slept peacefully, and Sesshomaru tired of fighting off his inner youkai at every turn.

Kagome jumped as arms enclosed her, hands clasping together in front of her stomach. Her heartbeat quickened and senses sharpened to her surroundings, ready to battle the intruder. Her mind halted the reaction, knowing it was only Sesshomaru, flabbergasted at what he was doing.

The daiyoukai himself was unsure, and knew only that constantly questioning his motives and reasons was exhausting. His fingers softly touched Kagome's haori, and tightened against her body. Kagome was too surprised to resist as Sesshomaru pulled her into him, nestling her between his legs and setting his feet on either side. Blood rushed to her face in embarrassment.

"Perhaps I was contemplating this," Sesshomaru said, "and that is why my gaze was intent upon you, Kagome." He pressed lightly on her stomach. "Perhaps I could not resist this any longer."

"T-that's ridiculous," Kagome sputtered, refusing to look at him. "Touching me is the last thing you'd want to do, and you're just teasing me."

Sesshomaru frowned. "It is true, that I was not thinking of touching you, especially in such an intimate manner. However," he said, bringing his face close to her hair, his lips brushing against her ear, "this Sesshomaru is exasperated, attempting to keep away from you. Many times, I have told myself that it is weak, to want someone, to be happy with them. And twice, I have allowed an exception in this rule, with Rin and Jaken. And now I have found a third exception. I do not care for you as a lover, and yet I find that I wish to protect you."

The sudden confession caught Kagome off guard. She sat still for a moment, in Sesshomaru's arms, wondering how true any of it could be. If he was lying to move the Mating Dance forward. If he would be willing to truly push aside his pride because he didn't want to deny it anymore.

"And why?" she asked, facing him. Sesshomaru's face did not yield any emotion, and Kagome felt her heart flutter. "Why admit this now, just after we started hunting Naraku? Why admit it at all? I thought you were too proud to show any sort of feelings." Kagome swallowed, and frowned. "What prompted this?"

Sesshomaru could see the conflict in her eyes. Kagome had no idea what to think. He released her, and stepped away. The space between them was palpable. Turning the words over in his head, Sesshomaru didn't have an answer for her.

"Forget this," he commanded, resuming his position under the tree. "Return to your rest and do not mention this event."

()

The tension that morning radiated throughout the group.

Kikyo could see it. Kagome's bad mood was obvious to the children, who were talking amongst themselves and refraining from bothering her. Jaken was silent, carrying Ah-Un's reins and not asking Sesshomaru his usual questions. Kagome brought up the rear of the group, and Sesshomaru walked at the front.

As she twisted in the air for mild entertainment, Kikyo couldn't help thinking how annoying the situation was. Sesshomaru had the chance to tell Kagome that he enjoyed her company, that he cared about her. Telling Kagome he wanted to protect her was a giant leap forward, and his command for the miko to forget it put the two back at square one.

Kikyo flew closer, hovering next to Kagome. Her feelings seeped into her aura, various colors showing the mixed emotions. The soft pink of her budding fancy for the daiyoukai had disappeared, giving way to bright orange anger and green betrayal. The sudden push and pull irritated her.

Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was filled with a dark red. Kikyo moved to gaze at his face. It revealed nothing, but the aura beneath it showed enough. He was filled with regret over his foolish act. Kikyo frowned, and drifted closer. Underneath the red, the seething regret and desire to be rid of the Mating Dance altogether, she saw something. A flicker.

Smiling, Kikyo returned to her place above the group. She felt a slight tug as her soul tightened its grip on Kagome, and she stopped. Kikyo could only go so far, and she had a feeling she wouldn't want to leave the lovebirds if she could.

Kagome gripped the straps of her bag. Last night was possibly more confusing than the mixed messages she got from Inuyasha when they were still involved. The hug was surprise enough, and if he'd given a reason for his sudden admission, Kagome wouldn't have minded it. She didn't dislike Sesshomaru anymore, and the thought that he wanted to protect her . . .

It made her happy. Sesshomaru was allowing his walls to be broken down. And as soon as he does it, he pulls away and acts the way he always did. Kagome wondered if she could be more frustrated. She put her head down and sighed.

"Mama looks so sad," Shippo whispered, peering around Hatori. "Maybe seeing Sango made her miss our friends? I wouldn't blame her."

"I don't think so," Rin said, eying Sesshomaru. "Lord Sesshomaru is acting weird, too."

"How can you tell?" Hatori asked, raising an eyebrow. "He doesn't appear any different."

"I know him better than anybody," Rin said, "and I know when he's not feeling well. Something must have happened."

Kagome looked up and frowned. "I can hear everything you're saying, kids!"

"And this Sesshomaru will not tolerate whispers about things that are of no concern to yourselves," the daiyoukai added from the front of the group.

The children looked between the two, and hung their heads in shame. Ah-Un grunted, one of his heads nuzzling Rin. She tried to smile and pet his nose. It might not be right to meddle with them, and yet she couldn't help nosing in their business. The sooner the two of them loved each other, the sooner both would be much happier.

Sesshomaru pushed the children from his mind. Whatever they thought of himself and Kagome, it changed nothing. He focused his senses on the surrounding area. Many animals were active today, but few youkai were out and about. There was something wrong. Something the mortal creatures could not discern.

"Stay here," he said, halting.

The group stopped behind him, and Jaken said, "Do you smell something, milord?"

"I will return," was all Sesshomaru said before leaping into the air and summoning the cloud beneath his feet. He sped away and left the group watching, bewildered.

Kagome clenched a fist. "I'm going with him." She dropped her bag, secured her bow and quiver, and added, "Protect the kids, Jaken." She turned and ran in Sesshomaru's direction.

"Stay safe, Mama!" Shippo yelled after, knowing he could not follow.

Quickly detecting her scent, Sesshomaru looked down at Kagome running alongside his path. Her speed easily matched him. "I told you to stay!" he said, glaring at her. Kagome looked up, and stuck out her tongue.

Sesshomaru frowned, and increased his pace. If she would not cooperate, he would make it difficult for her. His cloud billowed in the wind as he followed the familiar path of destruction. Sesshomaru knew this haphazard attack anywhere. As they continued, trees left and right began showing signs of destruction. The grass was torn away. No signs of life, from youkai or mortals, could be detected.

Kagome ran underneath, cringing at the sights. Someone was not pleased. As she raced to keep up with Sesshomaru, a scent passed under her nose. She nearly tripped in her surprise.

Inuyasha.

The scent was not that of his usual smell, the one he had when they met in her time, or even what she unconsciously smelled when Kagome first became a youkai. It was more potent. Full of danger. The hair on her neck stood on end, her muscles tightening. Kagome forced herself forward. Sesshomaru must smell it too. What his plan was, Kagome had no idea, but if the brothers' relationship was any indication, it could not be good.

"Wait!"

The voice was faint, far away. Female. Soon after, her scent drifted to Kagome's nose. She tried to focus as she ran, and discovered it was a mix of human and youkai. Inuyasha's scent followed, still dangerous and stronger than before. He was here, possibly with that female.

"Sesshomaru, please slow down!" Kagome said, peering into the sky.

The daiyoukai hesitated, and slowed slightly. Inuyasha did not appear to be moving. The female with him was a stranger. As they traveled, their voices grew.

"Stop! Please, Inuyasha! _Inuyasha!_" The woman was shrieking. Kagome's eyes widened, and she sped ahead. Sesshomaru followed suit, and it was not long before they came upon the scene.

In the middle of the forest, surrounded by the remnants of trees and plants, Inuyasha was standing with a woman gripping his arm. The hanyou female was obviously a tiger, with black ears, orange hair, and black stripes on her face. She had herself wrapped around Inuyasha's left arm, growling and pulling.

Kagome shivered at the sight of Inuyasha. His eyes were blood red, blue streaks covering his cheeks. He let his youkai half take over and demolish everything in his path. This was bad. She drew an arrow and set it into her bow. "Inuyasha," she said as calmly as she could, aiming for him.

As Sesshomaru landed beside her, both youkai turned to the duo. The woman was scared, and determined. Inuyasha had only death in his eyes. Kagome took a step closer, and felt a hand on her shoulder. Sesshomaru shook his head. "No closer, Kagome."

"You," Inuyasha snarled, glaring at them. "You ruined my life."

"Cut it out!" The woman yelled, yanking his arm again. Inuyasha growled and tried to shove her away. She clung determinedly to his arm.

"Remove yourself if you do not wish to be hurt," Sesshomaru warned, raising his claws. A sickly green began seeping into the tips.

As much as she didn't want to harm Inuyasha, Kagome knew from experience that bringing him down was the only way to restore him to his normal self. She kept a tight grip on her bow. "He's right, miss," she said. "Get out of the way."

The woman stayed put. Inuyasha took a step forward, and she pulled back. He started to growl again, and she snapped, "Inuyasha, this is no one's fault!"

"Says you!" Finally succeeding in ripping the girl away, Inuyasha said, "She rejected me." He glared at Kagome, his blue pupils striking through the red. "And he took her away." Inuyasha turned to Sesshomaru. "Without them, I'd be happy. I could have my life back." He flexed his claws, and bared his sharp canines. "It's their fault!"

Inuyasha lunged. Sesshomaru leaped. Kagome shot.

The arrow whizzed by Inuyasha's head and landed in the grass beyond. Sesshomaru planted his feet in front of Kagome with poison claws prepared. Inuyasha stopped, nearly caught by the arrow, and eyed Kagome with hatred.

"This is stupid!" The female said. She walked up to Inuyasha, who turned to her with fangs ready.

"Miss," Kagome tried to say. The hanyou woman held a hand up.

"It's no one's fault," she said, taking Inuyasha's hand. He resisted, moving back, but she kept her grip. "Inuyasha," Kyoko said, frowning. "This is childish. You can't go on a rampage like this, just because I'm pregnant."

Silence rang through the air. Kagome stood with her bow still in hand, her brain scrambling to deal with this new information. Sesshomaru's mild shock did not show on his face. Inuyasha jerked his arm, as though he might attack again, and stopped. Kyoko gave him a hard look, and narrowed her eyes.

The red seeped away. Blue returned to gold. Inuyasha turned to Kyoko, and hugged her. "I'm sorry," he said. "I was being an idiot."

"Yes, you were!" Kyoko said, pulling away. "If you ever do that again, I will leave you behind."

Coming to her senses, Kagome shook her head and put the bow down. "Wait a minute," she said, stepping closer. "Inuyasha, who is this girl? And . . ." Kagome glanced swiftly at the woman's stomach.

"Why am I pregnant?" Kyoko offered. "Or, rather, why have we been doing what would lead to a pregnancy?" Kyoko released Inuyasha and took Kagome's hand. Sesshomaru flinched, but did nothing.

Kyoko shook Kagome's hand, and said, "My name is Kyoko, and I am a tiger hanyou. Inuyasha assisted me on one occasion, and we have since been spending time together as friends. However." Kyoko paused, her eyes drifting to Inuyasha. "When I was desperate to speak with Inuyasha about his problems, we were, you could say, carried away by the tension of the moment."

Kagome blushed as Kyoko released her hand. "You're Kagome, aren't you? The archer?"

"Yes," Kagome said, nodding. "I guess Inuyasha has told you a lot about me."

Kyoko smiled. "About all of his friends, yes, and you in particular. It's nice to meet you." She looked at Inuyasha, who had turned away, and said, "I'm sorry things worked out so messily for you both. It's a shame."

Struck by her maturity, Kagome nodded again. "Yes." This woman had the strength and determination of Inuyasha, but a much better way of handling a given situation. That was clear to Kagome immediately.

"If we are finished," Sesshomaru said, pushing himself in front of Kagome, "it is obvious that we have no involvement in this. I came here because I sensed a disturbance in the area." He glared at Inuyasha. "If my brother has ended his destruction, we will be going." Sesshomaru turned to go.

"Hey!" And, as usual, Kagome was stopping him. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at her. "We can't just leave Inuyasha," Kagome said, frowning. "This is all . . . well, really surprising," she admitted, "but if Inuyasha would have it, I want to help him." She faced the hanyou and smiled. "No matter what's happened, I won't abandon my friends."

Inuyasha snorted. "I don't need your help. Go back with your _mate_. Ow!"

Kyoko had a hold of Inuyasha's ear, and growled, "This is how you get upset in the first place, you idiot. Stop blaming other people for things that are not their fault, before I get truly angry."

Kagome couldn't help but giggle at the familiar scene, knowing she had done that to Inuyasha more than once. It almost brought back the feeling of happier days. As Kyoko let go and Inuyasha complained about the scolding, Kagome wondered if she should stay and help. The idea that someone was pregnant with Inuyasha's baby, that something life changing was happening this rapidly, was still sinking into her mind. Perhaps it would be best if she left well enough alone.

"Inuyasha," she said, looking him in the eyes for the first time. Inuyasha frowned, but didn't look away or say anything. Kagome took a deep breath, and said, "If you really don't want me around, I understand that. We've both done some things to hurt each other. Just . . . let me know, if you need anything." Kagome could feel tears welling up, and she blinked them away.

The hanyou didn't respond. Taking his silence as a no, Kagome turned to Sesshomaru. "All right, then. We can go now." She held her bow close and began the trek back to their camp. Sesshomaru, previously eager to leave, hesitated. He looked to his half-brother.

"She still cares for you a great deal," Sesshomaru said. Inuyasha opened his mouth to retort, and Sesshomaru cut him off, saying, "I do not care if she remains friends with you. It vexes me to tolerate your presence, but I have learned that Kagome's happiness is crucial to the completion of out Mating Dance. But you are warned," Sesshomaru said, narrowing his eyes, "that if you reject her assistance or severely upset her, I will not hold back."

With that said, Sesshomaru left to find Kagome. Inuyasha stood in silence. Kyoko took his hand and leaned her forehead on his shoulder. "One issue at a time," she said. "You do not have to deal with your emotions right now, if you do not want to. But the pregnancy . . ."

His ears flattened against his skull. Where his life went from here depended on how he handled the situation. Given his track record, Inuyasha was not confident, and worry began to seep into his heart.

()

Away from prying eyes, the tears flowed heavily. Kagome wiped her face several times, to no avail. She didn't quite know why she was crying, only that she couldn't seem to stop. _I'm such a baby,_ she thought, collapsing at the foot of a tree.

Sesshomaru was soon by her side. He looked down at her, unwilling to do what his inner youkai was screaming at him. The daiyoukai would not submit to the weaknesses of someone else.

"I'm sorry," Kagome said, standing. "This whole thing . . . ugh." She wiped her eyes again. "I guess I'm shocked by it all."

"That is not the reason you cry."

Kagome peered at Sesshomaru, waiting for him to continue. He gazed back for a moment, and said, "You imagined that you would wed the hanyou, did you not?"

The assumption was true, and his accuracy made Kagome blush. "I knew he wasn't mine as soon as he chose Kikyo over me. I was moving on." She clenched her fists.

"The hope that you would marry him and have his children was not completely shattered until now," Sesshomaru said, knowing every word hit its mark as Kagome looked away. "You were not witness to his transgressions with other women before. His affections for the miko occurred behind a curtain that you did not open."

"I didn't _want_ to see him with Kikyo," Kagome whispered.

"This is proof, once and for all, that his life is happening in your absence."

Kagome slammed her fist into the tree. "So what?" she asked, glaring. "He's free to do what he wants. He can be with other women. He can move on." She opened her mouth to continue, and stopped. She whispered, "Inuyasha doesn't want to be my friend any longer. That much is clear."

Without thinking or caring, Kagome launched herself at the daiyoukai. He caught her body and instinctively enveloped it in his arms. More tears fell from Kagome's eyes, and she whispered again, "You must think I'm the weakest youkai you've ever met."

Sesshomaru tightened his grip on her. "No, Kagome. Your heart is too strong for your body to handle." One hand rested on the back of her head, the other gripping her shoulder. "Once in a while, it is all right to allow your worries to show themselves."

()

Hi again! So, everyone, this is the end of the chapter, and I added some tension! Those of you who read the previous incarnation of the story know that Kyoko get's pregnant. However, I felt the relationship was rushed last time, and this go around I tried to slow it. They're not in love, folks, but we all know what can happen to two people under stress.

On another note, Kagome and Sesshomaru have hugged twice! A big step! I thought it would be nice to start teasing at the feelings between the two. I think, at this point, Sesshomaru wants to admit that he likes Kagome's company, but he still thinks of love as a weakness and refuses to acknowledge Kagome as his true mate. And recent revelations have left our poor Kagome confused with herself.

More again in the next chapter! As usual these days, I'm busy preparing for college, so the updates might not be weekly anymore. But I'll try not to update less frequently than every two weeks. Thanks so much for reading, you guys! I love all your reviews, so please review again. I appreciate your comments.

Until next time, ja ne~


	28. The New Beginning

Inuyasha bit into his apple, mulling the situation over. Below his feet, Kyoko waited for his answer. The sun was descending. Finished with the food, Inuyasha tossed the core, and sighed.

_Can't I be your friend, Inuyasha?_

Those words triggered everything. Kyoko's desperate attempt to befriend Inuyasha and help him with his issues. If she were not a hanyou, Inuyasha would have no idea why she cared at all. But he knew the feeling well. No one in the world accepted you. You had no family or friends. And someone suddenly shows you a kindness. It didn't matter that you hardly knew them, because all that was important, was that they were different from everyone else.

Kikyo was different. Her kindness made Inuyasha fall hard and fast. The moment Inuyasha, in his blind rush away from his own emotions, found Kyoko and offered to help her, he set the same trap. Kyoko was fixated on him because he was the only one to be kind to her.

That was Inuyasha's theory, anyhow. He could never be certain why Kyoko stayed by his side. He'd be damned if he was going to ask her about it. Either way, it led to their mistake.

Kyoko knew Inuyasha wouldn't relent in his quest to be alone that day. To make him stay, she seduced him. Inuyasha clenched his teeth, and growled at the thought. She kissed him, pulled him into her grasp, and refused to let go. Inuyasha was too frustrated to care back then.

"I know you're mad," Kyoko said, looking up into the tree. "I would be too-"

"You tricked me," Inuyasha said, refusing to face her. "You knew you were in heat, dammit."

Kyoko frowned, and stood. "It was the first day of my heat, and I _didn't_ know. I'm a hanyou, my heat is more subtle than a youkai. I hadn't noticed, and I'll tell you that a thousand times until you believe me!"

"You shouldn't have seduced me!" he growled again.

"You let me!" she snapped back. "If you would have just told me about what was bothering you and let me be helpful, I wouldn't have felt the need-"

"The need!?" Inuyasha jumped from the tree, glaring at her. "You needed to help me, and you do it by sleeping with me? What the hell was that supposed to help?" He narrowed his eyes.

Kyoko opened her mouth, and lowered her black tiger ears. "I just . . ."

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Inuyasha scoffed, walking past her.

"I'm sorry!" Kyoko grabbed his sleeve. "I . . . you're right. I didn't sleep with you to help you. It was because I didn't want you leaving me." She shook her head. "I haven't had a friend since I was young, all right? I wanted you to stay. Is that a crime?"

Inuyasha sighed. Kyoko had as many issues as he did. "No," he said, "but that doesn't change what we did." He turned to her. "I guess we're both kinda stupid."

Kyoko tried to smile. "Yes. I truly am sorry, Inuyasha. I never intended for this to happen."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Inuyasha said, and waved the subject away. "I'm still pissed at you. But we should probably talk about something else." Inuyasha glanced at her stomach. "What are we gonna do about that?"

Kyoko followed his gaze, and put a hand over her abdomen. "I have no idea, Inuyasha. Do you think I've encountered this before?"

"Of course not, idiot, but-"

"Don't call me an idiot!"

"Well, you're the one-"

The bickering continued for a few minutes, the fiery personalities clashing intensely. After a set of screams, both were panting in exhaustion. Kyoko sighed, leaning against a tree. "Inuyasha, this isn't helping. We can't keep doing this."

"Saying what's on our minds?" Inuyasha said, raising an eyebrow.

Kyoko frowned, and said, "Yelling without solving the problem." She pointed to her belly. "We have to _talk_ about this."

Inuyasha stared for a moment, and looked away. "Yeah."

The two stood in silence. Kyoko took a piece of her hair and inhaled deeply. A faint trace of her own scent, normally undetectable by herself, was infused in it. Her scent had grown stronger, and it was the only indicator of her pregnancy. It warned other youkai that she was taken, that the father of her child would be protecting her, and they should keep away. Whether Inuyasha would do that, she had no idea.

Seducing him was stupid. Kyoko knew it. But when Inuyasha threatened to leave, to deal with his emotions on his own, she felt true fear. Fear of losing something she searched for since she lost her first friend so many years before. And karma came back to bite her for it.

"I want to keep it."

Inuyasha looked up. Kyoko was staring intently, hands on her stomach. "I want to keep the baby," she repeated. "No one is going to want a hanyou child. I think . . . it'll have the best chance if I raise it myself. With love and care." Kyoko paused, and said, "I want it to have the chance I didn't."

The words surprised Inuyasha. The way Kyoko said it, he could feel a pain behind her words. He didn't care touch that pain. "You can't raise a kid by yourself. You've got no cash, no house."

Kyoko smiled sadly. "I know. I was hoping that you . . ."

Inuyasha realized what she meant, and growled to himself. He didn't ask for this. He wasn't ready to settle down and have a child. If he stayed, Kyoko's unhealthy attachment to him would worsen. That she seduced him so readily without thinking was warning enough that he should cut off their relationship.

_Heh. Maybe my friends _are_ rubbing off on me,_ Inuyasha thought. _I've never been this mature about anything. _He looked at Kyoko again. At the way she held her hands on her body.

Inuyasha thought of his childhood, being raised by a single mother. She was a princess, with access to anything they might need. But the villagers rejected Inuyasha and treated him like dirt. His mother couldn't face them, she was only a woman. All she could do was assure Inuyasha that he was not the one at fault.

Would he put his child through that? Being raised by a mother who had no way to defend herself or her child? True, Kyoko was a hanyou with some power. But the thought of her trying to raise and protect a child by herself . . .

Inuyasha clenched his fist. He couldn't do that to her.

()

"Sesshomaru."

The daiyoukai looked at the miko in his arms, her blue eyes full of wonder and gratitude. "Thank you," she said, pulling away and drying her face. "I didn't mean to do that." Many minutes had passed since Kagome started crying at the thought of Inuyasha moving on without her. Looking back, it was a bit over dramatic. Feeling slightly embarrassed, Kagome turned to meet back with the group.

"No." Kagome jumped when he grabbed her hand, pulling her back to him. "Kagome . . ." Sesshomaru hesitated. Admitting the truth would be showing a weakness. He allowed it the night before, and pushed Kagome away from him to protect his pride.

_**But if you're so powerful,**_ his inner youkai asked, _**you should be able to feel whatever you like without caring for the opinions of others. **_

Staring into Kagome's eyes, Sesshomaru wondered if he could do so. Follow in his father's footsteps and let love conquer his heart. His father was killed for that foolishness, dying to protect his human mistress and hanyou son.

"Um, Sesshomaru?" Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

The daiyoukai considered for another moment, wishing the internal conflict would end. To stay strong and drive away his supposed future mate. To weaken his outer shell and confide his feelings in her. For Sesshomaru could no longer deny, he had feelings. He wished more than anything they would retreat, that he could return to caring only for his two companions and no one else. Rin was risk enough, as Naraku knew of her attachment to him. To add another female he cared for was another vulnerability for Sesshomaru.

These thoughts racing through his mind, a small part of Sesshomaru, the part he showed last night to Kagome, the part that was interested in only himself and nothing else in the world, declared that it didn't care. Sesshomaru had a tenderness for Kagome, and he would be damned if he let something so trivial stir his mind around this way. Letting this conflict continue was proof enough that Sesshomaru was allowing his feelings to control him. No longer would that happen.

Sesshomaru took the miko into his arms once more, saying, "I will not release you."

Kagome blushed, pushing uselessly at his steel grip. "Sesshomaru, I'm not going to have another fiasco like last night where you pretend to care and then shove me aside-"

"This Sesshomaru is finished with that."

She stopped, and looked over her shoulder. Kagome saw his golden eyes, and in them, something she had never noticed before. "I am tired of fighting myself, Kagome. I swore," Sesshomaru said, tightening his grip on her, "that I would not be ruled by emotion. That love would not dictate what I do, because such things made me vulnerable. But I am becoming constantly distracted by my need to have you near. To avoid angering you. To provide happiness and protection. And the more I deny these feelings, the more difficult it is to act as myself."

He released her briefly, only to turn Kagome around, facing him. "I, Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Territories, am the most powerful youkai alive, and the need to prove that to any person shall not be hindered by whether or not I have a mate." Though he was making up the speech as he went, Sesshomaru felt the truth of each word as it left his lips. He did not need to reject Kagome to remain strong. "From this day forth," he continued, "I will truly take part in the Mating Dance."

They stood staring at each other for a moment, the forest quiet around them. Kagome's heart beat rapidly, her mind scrambling for an answer. Had Sesshomaru come to a revelation? Was he finished with trying to keep their mating at bay? It sounded too good to be true. Even considering his admission last night, that Kagome was another person he cared for and wanted to protect, she was skeptical. Such emotion was unlike Sesshomaru.

"And what does that mean?" she finally asked. "To truly take part in it?"

Sesshomaru paused, stepping back from Kagome. "It means," he said, "that I will put as much effort in the Mating Dance as you do. This Sesshomaru was putting in minimal work, to focus on Naraku. However, watching you attempt to move our relationship forward on your own . . ." Sesshomaru searched for the appropriate words, and found none. Instead, he looked Kagome in the eye, and hoped to convey what he wished. He was not skilled with speaking his mind this way.

Kagome was still unable to think that Sesshomaru was changing so suddenly. She waited for him to continue, and when he didn't, said, "So now you'll suddenly be affectionate towards me, because you admit you care about me?" She raised an eyebrow. "Sesshomaru, this whole thing is pretty weird. It doesn't make sense at all."

Sesshomaru sighed quietly. "I will not be affectionate toward you, as I have not developed feelings that deeply for you." He closed his eyes. "I am not openly affectionate towards Rin, you will notice, despite having been her substitute father for years. It is not in my nature. But," he opened his eyes, "I am not averse to listening when you need assistance." Sesshomaru clenched his teeth slightly, before saying, "If you still hold feelings for the hanyou . . . I will be open to helping you overcome the heartbreak."

Kagome felt a twinge in her chest. "N-no," she said, "that won't be necessary. I don't love him anymore. It's just . . . you know, it shocked me to see him with another girl. A pregnant hanyou, of all things." She shook her head. "I don't want to think about it. And I won't ask for help with any of that, I don't need it." She looked Sesshomaru in the eye. "Are you sure about this? That you actually care about me, and want to be a part of this relationship?" Kagome brushed a piece of hair back and took a deep breath. "No offense, but I don't want you to say this, only to act cold like you always do."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "This Sesshomaru is many things, and a liar is not one of them. I may act as I normally do, Kagome. That does not mean I will not talk with you and protect you, as you said many days ago, both physically and emotionally. I stay by my word."

"And why now?" Kagome asked quietly.

Sesshomaru gazed at her for a moment. "Because the Hana no Shukumei would not pair those together that are not compatible."

()

"This is boring!"

Rin turned to Shippo, sighing. "Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Kagome have been gone for an hour. I say we go on an adventure."

"But," Shippo protested, "Jaken is-"

"Asleep." Rin pointed to the imp, dozing against the leg of the two headed dragon. "Let's go exploring." She jumped down, and brushed the dust from her kimono.

"No, thank you." Hatori scooted closer to the dragon youkai's neck. "I will stay here. If Jaken wakes up, I can tell him what happened to you two."

"You sure?" Rin tilted her head to the side. "Coming with us will be more fun!"

Hatori smiled, and shook his head. "No, Rin. You and Shippo go."

Shippo hopped down as well, the two watching Hatori for a moment. "I'm fine," the neko hanyou insisted. "Go ahead."

"If you insist." Rin shrugged, and began walking away. Shippo looked between her and the group for a moment, before following. As much as he worried for his mother, Shippo had to protect Rin first.

The two wandered through the woods, underneath trees that were slowly changing color with the coming fall. Rin began humming a soft tune, and swung her arms as she walked. "Rin," he said, "this isn't safe. What if a youkai comes along?"

Rin turned, pouting. "You're no fun! Lord Sesshomaru will always come to the rescue, so don't worry about it." She resumed walking with a soft hum. Shippo sighed, meeting her pace.

"Listen, Rin," he said, "I learned a few things, traveling with my friends. I didn't have a protector." Shippo thought of Kagome, the day she told him to grow up a few months ago.

_You're ten now, Shippo. As your mother, I'll always be here for you, but I can't always protect you. Remember to improve your battle skills, and grow into a strong warrior. _

"We have to be responsible," Shippo continued. "And that includes staying with our group when we should. Even if we want adventure."

Rin looked into Shippo's eyes, and saw the determination. She thought Shippo was a careless child, like her. Rin didn't think about responsibility because Lord Sesshomaru took care of everything for her. "Well," she conceded, "I guess that's true. But it's only for a little while!" Rin smiled. "You know, to be honest, I was glad Hatori didn't come with us."

Shippo raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

She shrugged. "He's nice. But really quiet. Not like you, Shippo. You're smart and fun." Rin giggled, twirling on the grass. "I wanted to hang out with just you."

Shippo felt his face turn red. "Thanks, Rin."

Far off, the sound of water flowing could be heard. Shippo turned to it, and said, "Uh, why don't we get a drink and go back?"

Rin looked where Shippo had turned. "So soon?"

"Mama and Sesshomaru might be worried," Shippo said, walking toward what he guessed to be a stream. Rin followed reluctantly, and soon they came upon the source of the noise. It was slightly bigger than the average stream, and running quickly.

"We're close to the mountains," Rin said, squatting on the bank. "This must be where the snow runs off." She dipped her hand in, and shivered.

"Here." Shippo took her hand gently, and whispered, "Fox fire." A blue light appeared just under Rin's hand, warming it.

"Wow!" Rin flexed her hand as heat dried the excess water. "That's impressive, Shippo."

The fox beamed with pride. "My fire used to be just an illusion. Now it gives off real heat. It's almost actual fire." He waved his hand through the fire, and it dissipated in the air. Shippo bent down, scooping cold water in his hand, and summoned more fire. It warmed the water to a comfortable temperature, and he drank greedily.

"Can you do that for me?" Rin grabbed water for herself. Shippo heated it above freezing temperature for her to drink. Rin smiled when she finished, exclaiming, "You're so talented, Shippo!"

He blushed again, knowing what was happening to him. Shippo felt this way many times before with human girls. And for once, he wouldn't be leaving this girl behind in a village. She was here to stay.

()

Hatori watched the two leave. The moment they vanished, he dismounted from Ah-Un and walked in the opposite direction. The dragon could watch over the imp for now. In the meantime, the miko and daiyoukai needed his attention.

The two had been gone for quite some time. Hatori looked for their scents, sneaking quietly through the bushes. After a few minutes of following their trail, he caught the scent. They were a few hundred feet away. Hatori closed his eyes, focusing for a moment, until he knew his own scent was masked. The plan would be ruined if they detected him.

They stood across from one another, Kagome staring at Sesshomaru. Hatori sat on the forest floor. He double checked that the branches hid his body from sight and that his scent could not be picked up. Neither person seemed to notice him. Settling, Hatori watched their exchange keenly.

"I will truly take part in the Mating Dance."

As Hatori listened, this declaration by Sesshomaru caught him by surprise. As they continued, Hatori continued to be astonished as Sesshomaru revealed his true feelings about Kagome. That the great lord would ever succumb to such weakness was unexpected, and unprecedented.

Hatori smiled to himself.

He knew from the beginning this would work. Hatori didn't like deceiving Kagome or her friends, most especially because his hanyou presence bothered the great daiyoukai. However, if the two were to make any progress at all, they needed someone who knew the ins and outs of the Hana no Shukumei. The rose that tied the two together was more than a representation of the red string.

Kagome was skeptical of Sesshomaru's sudden change. Hatori frowned. The two did nothing but make the Mating Dance more complicated for one another.

Hatori stood, closing his eyes. He whispered a few words under his breath and clasped his hands together. In his mind's eye, he saw an inu youkai and a human. Two being from centuries ago. The human held a blue lily in her hands and begged the youkai to stay with her. She confessed her love to him. The youkai hesitated, spoke of his power and subjects. He could not take a human concubine. It would only endanger them both.

The refusal was there, as with the inu youkai's son. But the father was not refusing for his own sake. Rather, he knew that those who envied his power would attack what they believed to be his weakness. He refused in order to protect the human.

Brought back to the present, Hatori continued watching the miko and inu in front of him now. So like his father, the inu, and so different. He had affection for humans, thought them interesting despite their weaknesses. He did not acknowledge this about himself. If Kagome continued to raise suspicions, Sesshomaru would become fed up with her and retreat back into himself. Hatori's ears twitched with expectation as the daiyoukai spoke of the Hana no Shukumei.

"Sesshomaru." Kagome looked into his eyes. "Do you believe that?"

He nodded, taking a step toward her. "You are powerful and kind, Kagome. You treat Rin with respect and nurture her along with your own son. You feel the need to protect my companions and have not abandoned your friends, despite not being with them any longer." He paused, wondering once again if he could allow himself to care for her. He clenched his fist. If he had to depend on deception and lies to maintain his strength, he was not a daiyoukai at all. "I will no longer avoid the Mating Dance, Kagome."

Hatori watched with baited breath. To think that Sesshomaru was willing to accept Kagome. He smiled. The two would be united sooner than he had hoped.

Kagome gasped as Sesshomaru took her hand, gently rubbing her fingers with his own. The contact filled his heart with warmth, though part of him continued to loathe this fact. Sesshomaru stood in silence, holding her hand. Kagome felt another blush covering her face.

They had not been in the Mating Dance before. This moment was the true beginning.

()

Hi, everyone! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I have a few things to say.

First of all, yay! Sesshomaru is finally coming to terms with his feelings for Kagome! I wouldn't say he's all the way there just yet, but as far as his treatment of her, he can definitely be nicer now. And Kagome is going to enjoy this new side of him, I'm sure~

Secondly, I'm going to change things up. Tomorrow I officially leave for college (yeek!), and I won't be able to update weekly any more. I refuse to let myself abandon this story the way I did the last time my life got busy. I'm finishing, dang it. So, to decrease the stress on me that I'm sure will come once classes start getting intense, my updates will be bi-monthly, i.e. every two weeks. The chapters will probably update Saturdays, though sometimes they might be late and come on Sunday instead. I'll try not to be later than that.

For those of you with good math skills, that means the next chapter won't be up until Sept. 8th or 9th. In the meantime, thank you so much for reading! I appreciate all of my reader comments and critiques. Some of you have been providing insight into the characters, and that's been helpful in writing the last few chapters. Thanks so much!

I'll see you all in a couple of weeks. Ja ne~


	29. The Lovers

Rin threw another handful of water into the air and laughed. The droplets landed on her face, giving her an enjoyable chill. The autumn wind picked up, rustling the leaves. Rin twirled in her bare feet, the smooth stones massaging her soles.

"We need to get back." Shippo stood, watching the forest behind them. "Come on, Rin."

"Aw." Rin stopped, and pouted. "This is fun."

"You'll catch cold," Shippo said, grabbing her arm and gently pulling her from the stream. "Fox fire," he whispered, lighting blue flames around his fingers. He ran them close to Rin's feet and legs, drying her completely. When he finished, he smiled at her. "I like seeing you play, Rin, but we've been gone too long."

Rin grinned back, and nodded. "I guess you're right."

The two began to make the short journey back to camp. Rin hummed as they walked, bobbing her head to the rhythm. Shippo watched her, and joined in the humming. Rin paused in surprise, and giggled. The hum picked up volume as they created a unique melody that rang through the trees.

"Rin! Fox!"

They halted, and saw Jaken coming at them. "What do you two think you're doing!? I woke and found you missing! Do you have any idea how dangerous these woods are!? Stop laughing!"

Rin took a deep breath, still grinning. "Sorry, Master Jaken. Shippo and I were thirsty and found a stream to drink from."

"There's water in containers at the campground!" Jaken yelled, his arms swinging wildly. "We must return at once and locate that worthless hanyou boy!"

Shippo's eyebrows shot up. "Hatori? Is he gone?"

Jaken turned and marched back to the camp, continuing his rant. "You were all missing! I thought the hanyou would be with you! That miko will be upset if he is gone, and Lord Sesshomaru will not be pleased if she is upset!"

"But Master Jaken," Rin said, forgetting about Hatori's disappearance, "Lord Sesshomaru says he doesn't care about Kagome-neechan."

"Feh!" Jaken snorted. "I have served him for centuries. I know when Lord Sesshomaru cares about other creatures. Why in the world he adopted you, Rin, I have no idea, and now he is letting useless mikos and hanyou children get the best of him. If I didn't know any better, I would say he has become soft-"

"Soft, Jaken?"

The imp froze, and the children stopped behind him. They had reached camp. Sesshomaru and Kagome were standing on the other side of it. Kagome saw Shippo, and launched herself at him.

"Shippo, where were you!?" She picked up the fox and looked him sternly in the eye. "I almost had a heart attack when Ah-Un was the only one here!"

"Mama, let me go!" Shippo struggled free, landing softly on the ground. "Rin and I went to get a drink, that's all."

"Take Jaken with you," Kagome chastised. "You two are just kids-"

Shippo glared at Kagome, a strange feeling boiling within. "Mama, it wasn't that far. I'm older and I can handle myself. You told me I have to become an independent warrior, didn't you?"

She froze at Shippo's words. Her son could stand up for himself, but he had never stood up to her. He was her adorable fox. The words sunk in, and Kagome sighed, slightly shaken. "I guess I did," she said, recalling her lecture some time ago. "I just worry, Shippo. You still aren't old enough to wander around without protection, you know."

Shippo kept his gaze with her, despite not wanting to hurt her feelings. He enjoyed being alone with Rin, even if only for a few moments. He wasn't about to let his mother scold him every time she thought he went out of line. "I know, Mama. It was only a few yards away."

"Isn't Hatori still missing?" Rin asked, desperate to change the subject. Shippo confronting Kagome-neechan gave off an unfavorable atmosphere.

The group paused, taking in the surroundings. "Hatori?" Kagome called out, glancing around. "Hatori!" she called, louder.

"Hello?" Kagome turned to the left, and saw Hatori emerge from the bushes. "What is wrong?"

"Oh, thank goodness." Kagome sighed with relief. "We thought you were missing for a minute, Hatori. Please don't scare us like that."

"I was gathering herbs nearby," Hatori said. "Could you not smell my scent?"

"No," Sesshomaru said, and stepped closer to the hanyou. "As a matter of fact, this Sesshomaru cannot detect your scent at this moment." He narrowed his eyes. "Why might that be?"

Hatori thought for a moment, and said, "Oh!" He reached into his shirt, and pulled out a small sachet. "I was making this." He opened the top of the pouch to show an array of woodland plants. "The herbs I collected must have masked my scent."

Kagome gave Hatori a small pat on the head. "Tell us when you want to go somewhere. We don't want your grandfather to arrive at the castle and wait for you, to find that you've vanished."

"No, Miss Kagome," Hatori answered. "I will let you know the next time."

Sesshomaru watched the children return to Ah-Un and climb on the dragon's back. No amount of plain herbs from the woods could mask a scent so strongly as to hide it, especially not from Sesshomaru himself. He made a mental note to keep an eye on the hanyou boy.

Kagome took her place at the back of the group as they prepared to continue on their travels. The children began chatting as Jaken walked beside Ah-Un. All was as it had been the day before. Kagome sighed, thinking back to Inuyasha. If what that girl said was true, he had a lot to deal with. And he was never good under pressure.

"Kagome."

She started, and looked at Sesshomaru, who halted the group. "You will walk at the front. There is no need for you to be in the rear. Jaken will watch it." He gestured with a single claw for her to come closer.

"Milord!" Jaken objected. "I am managing Ah-Un, I cannot-"

"The dragon manages himself," Sesshomaru said, glaring at the imp. "Watch the rear."

Kagome glanced at Jaken, who nodded complacently to his lord, before joining Sesshomaru. She stood to his right, tightening her grip on her backpack. Sesshomaru had not lied about what he said. He was actually trying now.

They began walking again. Rin peered at the two inu youkai, and smiled. "I guess they didn't need me," she said to herself.

"What did you get, Hatori?" Shippo's question brought her attention from the blossoming love, to the small pouch held by the neko hanyou.

"Not much," he said, pulling out a few stems. As he explained each one, part of his mind wandered to the couple, and what he saw happen between them.

The great daiyoukai still wrestled with his feelings for the miko. Such tenderness was unfamiliar to him. But Hatori could see it, in the way he walked, the way he spoke. From this moment forward, he would pursue only what he wanted, without regard to the opinions of others.

Hatori smirked to himself as he put the herbs away. Lord Sesshomaru was evolving into his father's true image. No longer the cold wall of strength Sesshomaru perceived his father to be when he was young. Rather, he would soon become the noble warrior that protected what was important, the true identity of the Inu no Taishou. Hatori had not watched the great lord this long to see his love slip so easily away.

If it continued this way, Hatori's job would soon be finished. The faster the two opened their hearts to one another, the quicker Naraku would die and the land could live in peace. At least, that was his hope.

"I apologize, Rin, I did not hear you. What was that?" For now, his facade would allow Hatori to keep a close eye on the two.

Kagome glanced at the children, and saw Shippo showing his recent fox fire skills. Rin clapped ecstatically, and Hatori gazed in awe. She hadn't realized Shippo was growing so much. Before long, he would be a young man without need for a mother. It made her heart ache to think about.

"Is there something you would care to talk about?"

Kagome turned to Sesshomaru, and shook her head. "No, not really. It just seems that a lot is happening at once." She faced forward, inhaling deeply. The forest held many scents, but none that were unpleasant. "You'll have to let me know when you smell Naraku," she said. "I don't have an idea of his scent yet."

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to bare his teeth in disgust. "His scent is as putrid as the miasma he uses so willingly. You could not miss it."

Kagome cringed at the thought. "Ugh, if that's the case, I'm sure I won't. But are we following his trail?" She observed the scenery. "You never really mentioned where we're going."

"The spider was spotted in a village of my subjects. There, we will track him further."

"Hm." Kagome bit her lip, wondering what Naraku was up to. "I know he's evil. It seems strange, though, if the rumors are true." She turned to Sesshomaru again. "Would he really destroy the resources of the land, just to get at you? Not to be cruel, but it would be faster to kill your subjects, and send a bigger message."

"No." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "This is worse. By ridding the villages of crops and livestock, the villagers turn to the minor lords, who turn to me for assistance. They have begged for help all summer, and I spent that time vigorously hunting. Naraku kept himself at the edge." The inu couldn't help flexing his fingers in frustration. "His continuous disturbance, and my inability to capture the vile creature, strained my people and shook their trust. Some of them have already moved to other areas in hopes of finding a better ruler."

Kagome's eyes went wide. "Oh, Sesshomaru, that's terrible." And all this time, Kagome concerned herself with finding true love and getting Sesshomaru to tolerate her while they stayed at his castle. Sesshomaru was trying to keep his subjects together and fight off one of Naraku's most direct attacks on him. She felt foolish, and looked away. "We have to find him, then. You're a great leader, and he can't undermine you."

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "You think this of me?"

"Of course." Kagome didn't meet his eye, but said, "You've ruled for centuries as a powerful daiyoukai. Obviously you've done something right, or else everyone would have rebelled by now. That the people leave so quickly when things go wrong, just means they depend on you to do everything right. I think that shows a lot."

Sesshomaru watched Kagome for a moment. She did not lift her head. He sighed quietly, and said, "You are almost too optimistic. I thank you for the compliment."

Kagome paused, and said, "You're welcome." Once again, her grip tightened on her backpack. Naraku was playing seriously. If they didn't catch him soon, he would wreak havoc on the entire country. Possibly, the world.

()

"What do you _mean_ we're lost?"

"Um . . ."

The youkai slayer glared at her husband, fingers ticking against her arm. "Edo is west," Miroku said, pointing in one direction. "So, that means we're, uh . . ." His arms flailed around as Miroku searched for something to confirm their direction.

"You don't know where Edo is, do you?" Sango asked, her voice lowering with each syllable. "I fall asleep for two hours," she continued, "and _this_ is what happens!?" She yanked Miroku forward by the collar and readied her hand to slap him. "Miroku!"

"Darling, let's not be hasty," Miroku said, putting his hands up in defense. "I just told Kirara to turn right a little bit . . ."

"My ass, you did!" Sango dropped the monk and crossed her arms again. "If I had a coin for every time you failed to meet expectations, Miroku, I'd be a princess and married to a rich nobleman by now. We would have three children and I wouldn't have to get lost hunting Naraku."

Miroku stood, placing both hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Sango. I want to find him as much as you do. The gods should know it isn't easier, with Kagome gone and neither of us able to detect shards. We have to be patient."

Sango sighed, and placed a hand over Miroku's. "I know. It's frustrating, that's all. I thought Kaede might have a lead for us." She tightened her grip. "Let's just continued flying. We'll find a landmark eventually."

Miroku watched his wife climb onto the fiery cat, wishing he could do away with the sad look in her eyes. After meeting with Kagome, and knowing they still could not travel with her, Sango became more depressed by the day. Every false lead tore at her. She wanted to prove herself, to exact revenge on Naraku and gain back normality. It all went south because Kagome found a path to her destiny.

The monk mounted Kirara in the front, and they began to fly. He had to find a way to cheer up Sango. If it continued like this, she wouldn't be able to fight anymore. Miroku searched his brain for anything that might bring a smile to her lips again.

A thought crossed his mind. Miroku smirked, and bent down to Kirara's ear. Sango raised an eyebrow, and asked, "What did you tell her?"

"I asked her to look out for the mountains near Edo," Miroku answered, searching the landscape beneath them.

"I could have told her that," Sango sighed.

They were further than Sango realized. This area didn't look anything like Kaede's village. As they wound through the sky, some of the landscape looked familiar. Sango furrowed her brow. "Miroku, where-"

"Just wait, Sango," he interrupted. "We're going somewhere special."

She frowned. "We have to ask Kaede-"

"And we will," Miroku said. "Eventually. Sit back and relax for now. It's not too much further, I don't think. I knew I'd seen those lakes before."

The wind blew harshly through Sango's hair, as memories of home filled her mind. She knew where Miroku was taking her. She had not seen her home in a long time. Sango wasn't sure if she wanted to see it again. But Miroku never steered her wrong when it came to these things.

After an hour, Kirara began to descend. Sango recognized the wooden walls underneath them. She could see houses, intact and half-destroyed. Her arms tightened around Miroku's waist, and tears began to well in her eyes. "I'm not sure about this."

"Sango, you haven't paid respects in a while. A visit here would do you good."

They landed, Kirara growling at the unkempt earth. Sango remembered when these fields were once used for rice. The ditches filled with water had long since dried.

Miroku took her hand gently, and smiled. "Let's go in."

The tall gate still worked. Sango set foot in her home village for the first time in over a year. It was true. They were too busy hunting Naraku for her to come and pay respects. Her ancestors must be ashamed that she hadn't caught their killer.

"I think this place could use some cleaning up. I'll find a broom and sweep the temple." Miroku released Sango's hand, and felt her grip it again. He turned back.

Sango squeezed his hand, and said, "I'll come with you."

Together, they went to one of the storage huts at the edge of the village. In it were an assortment of supplies borrowed by villagers when they didn't have what they needed. Brooms, spare clothes, wagon parts. Sango remembered her father crafting a wheel one night, because a youkai had destroyed several of the wagons in the village and their weren't enough spare parts for repairs.

"Here we go." Miroku picked up an old broom, shaking the dust off it. "Even the brooms need a sweeping." He laughed, and faced Sango. "Shall we go?"

"I suppose." Sango gripped the wood of the doorway. How many times she had bumped into this doorway when fetching something for a friend or elder. She followed Miroku away, toward the center of the village. In it sat the temple where Sango paid respects whenever she visited. It was the most well kept of the buildings, despite having a hole in the roof. Weather had damaged almost all of the buildings. The village no longer looked empty, but dead.

Sango knelt in the doorway, wondering how the spirits of her family and friends were, in the afterlife. Whether they had been reincarnated, or were simply drifting among the other spirits. "Why did you bring me here?" she whispered.

Miroku knelt beside her, stroking her hair gently. "With all of our hunting, you don't have time to come back here anymore. I thought it would do you some good."

They sat quietly together, in front of the crumbling temple. Sango sifted through her memories, glad and horrified to have them. It was here that she always felt the strongest pull to her past, and the greatest regret that she could not move on.

"We should clean, then." Sango stood, grabbing the broom Miroku had set down. She started sweeping, dust clouds forming at her feet. Miroku nodded, and picked up a stick from the ground. Using it, he cleared cobwebs from the corners and pushed small rodent remains out the door.

They spent the majority of the afternoon this way. By the time the sun began to set, the temple was cleared on unwanted debris. Sango was using a cloth from the storage shed to wipe the walls and scrub the floor. Miroku watched her silently. For years, Miroku did not have a proper family, raised by his father's friend. That man was the only one Miroku could be close to. But Sango lost the entirety of her village to Naraku. There were dozens of people she knew and cared for, gone in one day. Miroku could never imagine how she felt, presenting herself as a strong warrior out for revenge, when she probably wanted nothing more than to create a new life after such a tragedy.

"Sango, I love you." He whispered the words, and it took Sango a moment to hear. She looked up from the floor, eyebrow raised.

"I love you too," she said, blushing slightly, "but why say it now?"

Miroku took her hand and forced Sango to stand. "I don't say it often enough," he said, pulling her close. The hug caught Sango off guard, and she stood still as her husband wrapped his arms around her. "And yet it grows truer every day," he continued. "I love you, Sango."

"Miroku." Sango returned the hug, smiling. "I know that. I've known since the day you asked me to be your wife."

"But that isn't enough!" Miroku pulled back, keeping his hands on her shoulders. "I married you because I wanted to declare our love before it was too late! And the night we were married . . ." He paused, taking Sango's hand. "It was the happiest day of my life. To see you so depressed by our group splitting up, it depressed me as well. I want you to live in bliss, and I can't do anything about our situation. It's frustrating."

Sango squeezed his hand. "Thank you, Miroku. I know I haven't been myself. It's nice of you, to bring me here and try to make me feel better. I-"

She was cut off as Miroku pulled her close again, kissing her fervently. Traveling with their group, they never had time to be married. To love each other. The only night they got to be alone was their wedding night in Edo. The next day Inuyasha caught whiff of Naraku, and they were off again. Since then, they rarely even held hands. The fate of Japan was their top priority, but damn if Miroku didn't want to be selfish once in a while.

For tonight only, they could forget about Naraku. They could stay in this village as if Sango never left it. They could be a husband and wife.

"Miroku!" Sango said, pushing him back. "We're in a temple!" She blushed and covered her lips. "Besides, we should get back-"

"I don't care." Miroku kissed her again. "I want us, Sango. Just for tonight. Please. I'll keep you happy for tonight, even if we have to jump back on Naraku's trail tomorrow." He cupped her cheek. "I love you more than anything, Sango."

Sango looked into his eyes, and saw the sincerity in them. "I . . ." She paused. "I love you too, Miroku. But let's not do this in the temple." She took a hold of his hand and led him to one of the empty huts. "We can stay here tonight." She looked away, blushing again. "I'll admit, I missed you, too. Ever since our wedding night."

Miroku didn't wait any longer. He grasped Sango and kissed her. The feel of her, being able to be close, satisfied an ache in his heart. She was his wife. He was her husband. They would spend the rest of eternity together, no matter what.

()

Hi, everyone! Mattaki here, hoping you all enjoyed this chapter. I decided to focus more on secondary characters again. Miroku and Sango definitely needed some screen time! I think this is a realistic situation, Miroku frustrated both by the dividing of their group and his inability to comfort his bride. Those two definitely don't get enough time together.

As for Hatori, he's more than a simple neko hanyou. That's all I can say.

Please, please review! I love reading them!

I'll update again in two weeks, around September 22nd, which is actually a holiday for me, so it might be the day after instead. Again, I hope you all liked this chapter. Thank you for reading!

Ja ne~


	30. The Mother

Two hands, wrinkled but strong, grasped Inuyasha's shoulder. "The pup is healthy, as is the mother." She smiled kindly, her eye clouded with age, the other covered by a worn, black patch. The old priestess turned back to the hut. "It was only a mild fever."

Inuyasha sighed with relief. "Good." Perhaps one of his most panicked moments occurred when Kyoko collapsed in the woods during their travel. It took half a day to get her to the only village with a healer that would treat a hanyou. "Thanks, Kaede."

The priestess looked at him sharply. "If what I understand is correct, Inuyasha," she said, "you are not married to this woman, but the pup is clearly yours."

Inuyasha gulped, and turned away. "Yeah, I got her pregnant. She was all insistent on being friends with me and all this crap about how she wanted to be nice to 'cause I was nice to her, and she seduced me." He looked at the priestess, who continued to glare. "Okay," he admitted, "maybe I didn't care enough to try stopping her. I was upset, all right?"

"Hm." Kaede adjusted her eye patch. "This is both your fault, I presume. Children are always making mistakes. How does Kagome feel about this?"

He could remember the way Sesshomaru stood in front of her, protecting Kagome when Inuyasha briefly lost himself to rage. The inu youkai never had that look in his eyes before. "She's too busy flirting with my brother," he spat, clenching a fist.

"The Lord Sesshomaru?" Kaede raised an eyebrow.

Inuyasha sighed, and explained everything that had happened to him since their original inquiry with Kaede about the Hana no Shukumei. Kagome leaving, his trying to replace her with Kikyo, the tragic end of the woman he loved at his own hand, Sango and Miroku leaving him, and his meeting Kyoko and becoming reluctant friends with the hanyou tiger.

Kaede did not show much surprise at the news of Kikyo's death. "My sister needed to be released from that body," she said. "I only wish it had been under better circumstances."

"Yeah. I'm sorry, Kaede." Inuyasha felt the guilt rip another tear in his heart. He hadn't yet forgiven himself for Kikyo. Perhaps he went back to Kagome after that out of grief. It was pathetic to think about.

The two stood in silence for a moment. Finally, Kaede said, "I find it odd, Inuyasha, that you continue to fall for women with names beginning in the letter 'K.'" She chuckled softly, and Inuyasha lowered his ears.

"Shut up, old woman. That's the last thing you should care about."

"Aye, but humor is good for my heart," she said, patting her chest. "In any case, it does shock me that Kagome was mated to the Lord Sesshomaru. I knew she had found the Hana no Shukumei, however-"

"Wait!" Inuyasha glared at her. "When we asked you about that thing, you said you only knew a little bit that Kikyo learned. You never called it the 'Hana no Shukumei.'"

Kaede realized her mistake, and shook her head. "Ah, I apologize, Inuyasha. I withheld that information from you, or rather, Kagome, on purpose." She paused, thinking of what her sister told her about the legendary flowers. That they tied together youkai who were destined to accomplish a great good, or produce a child together that would do so. How they were almost never found by humans due to their magical nature, and humans' innate lack of magic. For Kagome to find one and be linked to someone through it surely meant something monumental.

"You see," Kaede continued, "I feared that Kagome could not fulfill her destiny, were she to know that she was united with someone without her own choice. She is an independent creature that would not take kindly to such news. To know she is linked to the daiyoukai of the west is surprising. I believed him too proud to take a human mate."

Inuyasha growled quietly. "He was, at first. That pompous ass treated her like dirt, and she still decided to travel with him because of that stupid rose. And now he's all protective and shit, like he never hated humans!" Inuyasha growled again, louder. "I can't believe him!"

"Calm yourself." Kaede put a hand on his shoulder. "If they are truly united through the Hana no Shukumei, it is only natural that they would grow to care for one another. They say that the Hana is controlled by the gods themselves. Its powers are not to be doubted."

Inuyasha didn't answer. From within the hut, a voice called, "Kaede? Inuyasha?"

They turned to the door. "We should be speaking of Kyoko and her health," Kaede said, "not matters of fate. Come, Inuyasha." She pushed aside the door cover. Inuyasha hesitated, and followed.

Inside, Kyoko was laying on a futon with a wet cloth on her forehead. "Inuyasha," she said, smiling. "Are you okay? You look mad."

"Yeah." He sat beside Kyoko, eying her stomach. "You feel all right?"

"Much better, thanks to Kaede." She turned to the priestess. "What do we owe?"

"Child, there is no need to pay me." Kaede took the cloth and dipped it in a bowl of warm water, before replacing it on Kyoko's forehead. "Inuyasha is a good friend of mine. I would be happy to help the mother of his pup whenever you may need it."

"Oh, thank you!" Kyoko took a deep breath. "That's a relief. I don't actually have any money. You're a very kind priestess."

"So when can we leave?" Inuyasha looked to Kaede. "I'd like to get out of here soon."

"Alas," Kaede said, "you must stay at least the night. And I would not advise traveling for this one. As strong as hanyou may be, I believe this to be a fragile pregnancy." Kaede turned to Kyoko. "Were you often sick as a child?"

Kyoko chuckled, and said, "Yes, unfortunately. My father was human and worked on the fields. He made me work with him to help bring in money. I was sensitive to the heat and caught fever often."

"That is what I thought." Kaede placed a hand gently on Kyoko's stomach. "For a human, you appear strong. But for a hanyou, you are weak, and temperature sensitive. The pregnancy does not help that condition. I would advise you stay somewhere safe until the pup is born."

"But that could be months!" Inuyasha said. "Naraku needs to be found, shards have to-"

"Inuyasha." Kaede gave him a stern look. "I understand that Naraku is a danger to us all. Indeed, it would be best if you could find and eliminate him. However, if you wish your pup to survive, Kyoko must stay here and rest. Her body is fragile, Inuyasha."

The inu hanyou glared back at the priestess, before turning to Kyoko. Her stomach had not even begun to swell yet, as she was only a few weeks along. It could be as long as a human pregnancy before she gave birth. She collapsed readily on an unusually hot day like today. Kaede was right to say that she wouldn't be able to cope while burdened with pup.

"How long?" he asked, facing Kaede again. "Winter is coming, and today's heat probably won't be happening again. How long can she travel before the pregnancy is too much?"

"I am fine," Kyoko said. "I can travel with you if you have to find Naraku. I may not be as strong as you, but I will not be a burden."

Kaede considered for a moment, peering between Kyoko and Inuyasha. Two young ones without any notion of responsibility, both stubborn and proud. Kyoko seemed a bit more mature, but if Inuyasha told the truth about her seduction, she might not be as smart. "A month, perhaps two," Kaede said finally, "if her pregnancy goes the route of a human. If it advances more quickly, I would estimate three weeks. After that, her body may have trouble adjusting itself as winter comes." She turned to Inuyasha. "If you recall, I said temperature sensitive, not heat sensitive. I believe Kyoko may suffer in the cold as much as the heat."

"She may be right," Kyoko admitted, looking away. "But I want to stay with Inuyasha."

Inuyasha looked at her, thinking of the strange relationship they started. Kyoko was clearly obsessed with him, and not in a good way. If she continued this clingy behavior, she could risk herself and the child.

"You'll stay here."

Both women faced him in surprise. "What?" Kyoko asked, sitting up. Kaede moved to push her back, but Kyoko waved her away. "Inuyasha?"

The hanyou sighed. "Kyoko, I'll help you raise this kid. It's both our faults, I guess. But you can't get the wrong idea, we're just . . . just friends," he said, hesitating to call her even that. "You're gonna stay here," he continued, "with Kaede to watch you. I have a job, to kill Naraku. You can't come like this."

"But-" she tried to protest.

"No!" Inuyasha cut her off, baring his teeth. "I've been a dumbass about everything else, I won't be a dumbass about this." He stood, balling his hands into fists. "I'll be back in a couple months at the latest. Stay here, Kyoko. Take care of the kid and think about why you like me so much in the first place. I have a youkai to catch."

"Inuyasha!" Kaede called, as the inu ran from the hut and leaped through the town. She followed outside, but he was out of sight. Knowing him, Inuyasha would not change his mind. Kaede stood in silence for a minute, watching for the hanyou, before returning to the hut.

Kyoko sat up straight, with panic on her face. "He left," she whispered, clutching her stomach. "He left me with the baby."

Kaede sighed again. She was correct. Kyoko had seemed mature when the two arrived, thanking Kaede profusely and telling Inuyasha not to worry. The priestess could see now, the child was also selfish and insecure. She wanted someone to fill a hole in her heart. Perhaps that was why she rushed into a romance.

"Hush, Kyoko," she said, kneeling beside her again. "Whining does nothing to help."

Kyoko looked at her with eyes full of tears. "But Inuyasha-"

"Has an obligation to fulfill," Kaede finished. "Naraku will kill many if he is not stopped. And you must rest here. I suspect your pregnancy will be shorter than a human's, and if this is so, the sooner you decrease your strain, the better."

Kyoko didn't answer. She sat still, staring at her hands. Kaede frowned. The old priestess did not tolerate this. "I doubt it was personal," she said, "Inuyasha has always been brazen and prone to doing what he wants. Lay down, sleep, and forget about him for now."

"All right," Kyoko said, reluctantly lying on the futon. "I just wish it hadn't come to this. I never meant to hurt anyone."

Kaede took a folded blanket from the corner and laid it over the tiger. Night would be coming. As Kyoko continued to mumble about Inuyasha, Kaede dumped the hot water pot and cleaned the hut. It was going to be a long and difficult task, caring for this one. Then again, helping those who were not secure in themselves was a talent she had developed, after watching her sister suffer for so many years before Naraku killed her.

Kaede checked on Kyoko after some time, and saw she had fallen asleep. The priestess smiled to herself. If she could make one more soul less damaged, she did not care if she died tomorrow.

()

Sesshomaru scanned the horizon. They had reached the edge of the western territory. Another two days of walking, and they would be nested within the east. If the messages from Lord Rei were to be believed, the east was not faring much better than the west. Crops suffered and livestock refused to breed. If this continued into the winter, famine would begin.

Naraku was at the root, he was sure. The evil hanyou was taking the route of a snake in the grass, slowly starving the people and turning them on the youkai lords. It was expected. In the years since Naraku's rise, word of the hanyou had spread. His threat was drawn to the attention of the youkai nobles that controlled the land. Even the royalty among humans knew of him.

If he could take out the youkai system, the lesser youkai and the rogues that followed no one would lose control. A power vacuum would form. The rules against slaughtering humans in large numbers would not be heeded, and the weak race would die out like a flame. Without the humans, the intricate trading system between the two intelligent races would fall. The monarchy would end in chaos and give Naraku the chance to take over.

_He's playing a political game,_ Sesshomaru thought.

If it were Sesshomaru on his own, he would hunt down Naraku as quickly as he could and kill him. Seeing as Sesshomaru had no means of killing him, due to Naraku's ability to constantly regenerate himself and hide his sources of power, this option was not practical. Alternatively, Sesshomaru could pool his resources with the other three youkai lords. They in turn could consult their youkai and human subjects to gather a resistance.

Whether Naraku needed an army to confront him was debatable. It might also lose more lives than necessary. _**It couldn't hurt to speak with Lord Rei either way, if we are headed east. **_For once, Sesshomaru's inner youkai was voicing useful thoughts. The other half of him spoke when Sesshomaru knew he should do something he would rather leave alone.

In this case, his doubtful half was correct. If Naraku could slowly starve the lands, Sesshomaru alone would not be able to destroy him, as much as he might want to. _**You'll need the help of a certain miko.**_

Sesshomaru sighed quietly. He might be annoyed that his other half was bringing out unwanted desires again. But his inner youkai was correct again. Sesshomaru needed Kagome's talent as both a growing youkai and a strong miko. And he was not averse to needing this help.

The daiyoukai descended from the tree, landing softly in the center of their camp. The sun would soon rise. He stepped to Kagome, asleep in her cocoon of the strange material called 'plastic.'

"Kagome."

She stirred, and buried herself further in the sleeping bag. "Kagome, it is time to resume training."

With a groan, Kagome sat up and rubbed her eyes. "G' morning," she mumbled, unzipping her bag and standing. "I almost forgot," she said with a yawn.

"Indeed. Be ready in five minutes." Sesshomaru turned and left the camp. He had a spot for their training session prepared. It would not be as optimal as the dojo at his home, but it was better than abandoning training all together. Kagome had to increase her skill. Her potential was more than most of the nobles Sesshomaru knew.

Kagome watched him leave, and yawned again. He reminded her last night that they had training to do. She both dreaded the prospect, and looked forward to it. Kagome bent to her backpack and pulled out her training outfit, brought from the castle.

_**This is good.**_

The miko jumped, and sighed. The inner youkai. That strange voice that made Kagome feel as though she were psychotic. It hadn't disturbed her in quite a while.

_I know training is good,_ Kagome thought as she changed. _And I'd rather not talk to you._

_**Why not? All inu youkai must deal with their inner emotions. I daresay it's better than the struggle humans go through to realize what they want or need. **_

Kagome sighed, pulling her hair into a ponytail. _Perhaps it's more direct,_ she thought, _but it's also disturbing. Voices in the head aren't normal for humans. And the fact that you seem to know more about being an inu than I do doesn't help convince me you should be here._

The inner youkai chuckled. _**I'm the manifestation of your deep thoughts and nature. The youkai half of you. Lord Sesshomaru must experience this as well, and it allows him to confront unwanted feelings. I would not be surprised if his inner self is the reason he accepts his feelings for you. **_

_Be that as it may,_ Kagome thought, grabbing her bow and arrows, _I'm not used to this. Please, leave me alone. _

She waited a moment, and heard no response. Sighing again, Kagome took a delicate sniff of the morning air. Drifting among the scent of morning dew and woodland creatures, she could detect Sesshomaru. Fifty meters to the north. She followed the trail quickly. The last thing Kagome wanted was for Sesshomaru to insult her this early for being late.

He was waiting in a clearing, though Kagome quickly noticed that it was not natural. This deep in the forest, clearings were scarce. Sesshomaru made an area for training by taking down quite a few trees. Kagome touched the fallen logs, disappointed that their lives ended prematurely. "You didn't have to destroy them," she said, facing the daiyoukai.

"It was efficient," Sesshomaru said. "They will provide nutrition for the dying land."

Kagome frowned. She had not thought of that. According to Sesshomaru, Naraku was not simply killing crops. He was fusing his miasma with parts of the earth to ensure nothing grew. And Kagome had felt a poisonous effect emitting between the grasses. They had not approached any villages, where the effect would be more concentrated in the farms, but it worried Kagome all the same.

"All right," she conceded. "I suppose the earth needs the nutrients."

Sesshomaru nodded, and said, "Ready your bow."

Kagome did as he commanded, loading an arrow and preparing to shoot. Sesshomaru warned her last night that they would be working on her bow skills. In Kagome's mind, she had been shooting for three years and they were refined. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, thought she needed work.

"Aim at that tree," Sesshomaru said, "between the two main limbs."

She did as asked, hitting the tree precisely where the trunk split from one piece into two limbs that continued to split into dozens of smaller limbs and branches.

"Good," Sesshomaru said. "Hit the arrow."

Kagome froze, and raised an eyebrow. "The arrow? The one I just shot?"

"There is no other arrow for you to hit," he said. "I told you that we would be working on your archery. If you are not prepared, you may leave."

Glaring, Kagome readied her bow once more. She could hit close to her previous arrow, she knew. But striking the arrow itself would require enough power to make the current arrow drive itself deep enough that it would stick in the thin piece of wood. Otherwise, it would simply knock the arrow down. From a distance, that power would be difficult to achieve without skewing the arrow's path.

Kagome planted her feet firmly in the ground, drew the arrow back, and took a deep breath. Slowly, she let some of her aura seep into the arrow. A dull blue light emanated from the wood and feathers. She whispered, "Hit the mark," and released.

It hit just below the center of her previous arrow, knocking them both from the tree and into the grass. "Crap," Kagome said, pulling another arrow from her quiver.

"You were on the correct path," Sesshomaru said, as Kagome prepared to shoot again. "Your miko abilities will help to guide the arrow where you wish it to go. However." He glanced at the two arrows on the ground. "You cannot count on your miko powers for everything."

"Thanks," Kagome said, shooting again. She hit the tree in the same spot, and quickly prepared to shoot another arrow. Once more, she stood in silence as her aura seeped into her weapon. She drew the arrow taught, more so than she usually dared, and released.

It hit her previous arrow. They both hung for a moment, long enough to raise Kagome's hope, before falling to the ground again. "Great," she muttered."

"This Sesshomaru finds it hard to believe that you have not done this before." He looked between Kagome and the arrows. "I meant this to be a prerequisite to our actual task."

"Do you know how hard it is to hit another arrow so that they both stand?" Kagome asked. "I'd like to see you try and do this."

Sesshomaru complied, taking the bow and two arrows, despite Kagome's protests. He loaded one, shot it into the tree, loaded again, and shot the second arrow. It struck the first dead center and embedded itself, creating a perfect line. Sesshomaru looked to Kagome.

She stared at the arrows, eyes wide. "But . . . how did . . . I . . ." Kagome sputtered, unable to believe her eyes. "Since when do you know archery!?" she finally asked.

Sesshomaru said, "I was required from a young age to learn all basic ways of fighting. Archery was one of the first things I was taught, and I have not forgotten how to shoot, despite not using a bow regularly."

Kagome frowned, looking at the arrows again. She sighed, and gathered all six from their places. "That's impressive," she admitted. "I wasn't aware that you knew archery. Let me try again."

Several more tries, and Kagome continued to miss. She cursed to herself, readying a third round of arrows. Before she could shoot, Sesshomaru placed a hand on her shoulder. "Why do you rotate your elbow and refuse to lock the joint?" he asked, pointing to her bow arm.

"Oh." Kagome lowered the bow. "I don't have an arm guard to protect my forearm from being burned by the string when I shoot." She gestured to her left arm. "If I turn my elbow and don't lock it, I can still shoot, and my arm is far enough from the string that it isn't hurt."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "This puts stress on your left arm and interferes with the grip on the bow."

Kagome shrugged. "Yeah, but I can compensate for it. Kaede taught me how to shoot without an arm guard so that I can do it on short notice."

The daiyoukai frowned, and said, "I will retrieve an arm guard for you when the chance presents itself. It is not optimal to shoot without it."

She smiled, and said, "Thank you, Sesshomaru. I appreciate the consideration. But I'm fine for now, as you can see." She aimed the bow again and shot. The arrow stuck in the tree, and she prepared a second one. It stuck for a moment, before falling. The first arrow, however, remained in the tree.

"I'll get this right," Kagome said, "just you wait."

()

Hi, all! Mattaki here, with another chapter finished. I hope you enjoyed reading it. Time for more SessKag goodness!

I can't say much, as I have work to do. College tests to study for . . . bleh.

Next update should be October 6th or 7th, but I have a midterm on October 8th, so be warned that the update might be late by a few days. I'll try not to be, but my education is rather important to me, and if I have to sacrifice some time to study, so be it.

Stay tuned! Thanks so much for reading! Please review!

Ja ne~


	31. The Village

~Hi, everyone! Mattaki here, to apologize for this chapter being late. I had a lot of college work and not enough time to write. To make up for it, this chapter is a bit longer than usual. Enjoy~

()

After a few hours, Kagome's precision and strength had improved. She had yet to perfectly hit the arrows embedded within the tree. However, they no longer fell as quickly, and she had yet to miss. Sesshomaru could see the increase in power each time she shot.

"We shall end for the day," he announced, when Kagome shot a final arrow. It stuck for a moment, before angling down. It did not fall completely, and Kagome sighed with relief.

"All right," she answered, when she was sure the arrow wouldn't fall. "Thank you, Sesshomaru." Kagome turned, and bowed. "This has definitely improved my shooting. I haven't practiced shooting small targets much, after hunting dangerous youkai for so long." She went to retrieve her arrows from the tree, along with a few strewn in the grass. "It's good to know I can still learn."

"You are welcome." Sesshomaru watched her place the arrows back in her quiver, noting that they would need to be sharpened after such vigorous practice. The sun was high enough to wake their companions, and the children would soon demand breakfast. They had to move quickly and continue on Naraku's trail.

Sesshomaru stepped forward to leave, and halted.

"Hm?" Kagome turned to face him. "Sesshomaru? What's wrong?" She noticed him inhaling, and followed suit, smelling the air around them. She wretched, covering her nose, and wondered how such a powerful stench could appear so suddenly. "What the-?"

"Naraku," was all Sesshomaru said before he leaped into the air. He ran through the branches, and launched himself into their camp from the treetops, landing harshly and waking everyone.

"Jaken," he said, grabbing the imp. The small youkai yelped, still half asleep. "Protect them," Sesshomaru said, releasing him to the ground and returning to the sky. It took only moments to appear before Kagome once more, his sword, Tokijin, at the ready.

Kagome had determination etched into her face, grasping her bow tightly. "Let's go."

Upon their first encounter, Sesshomaru would have insisted she stay behind and protect the children. But the look in her eyes did not lie. Kagome would fight alongside him.

"This way." Knowing his sense of smell was more developed, Sesshomaru summoned the cloud beneath his feet and began to fly in the direction of the venomous miasma. Kagome tucked her bow into the quiver, and ran underneath his path, weaving in and out of trees and bushes.

As they followed the stench, Kagome felt a pull in the back of her mind, and a voice spoke. _**Are you ready for this?**_ Her inner self, doubting her abilities.

_I am,_ she thought, jumping into a tree and beginning to take pursuit on the heavy limbs. She had never attempted it before. Her eyes watched both Sesshomaru and the branches beneath her, tracking them as she traveled from one tree to the next after the daiyoukai.

Truthfully, her youkai was correct. She didn't know if she could do this. Her heart beat rapidly at the thought of fighting Naraku directly, using youkai abilities she barely touched. The bow would be excellent for long range and the purpose of purification, but she would need an up close attack to deal damage. Her miko powers were useless against Naraku at his peak. He had to be weakened first.

_**You will fight, and prove to Sesshomaru that you are capable.**_

Kagome almost stumbled, and right herself. _What does that have to do with anything?_

_**He has not yet seen you in serious battle. You can show him your skill. **_

She scoffed at her inner self, wishing it were truly a different person, so she could avoid feeling foolish. Naraku was the focus, and there was absolutely no point in thinking of how this might benefit her situation with Sesshomaru. The great daiyoukai could wait until after Naraku was slain.

Though, if they could slay him, Kagome did not think it would happen today. Naraku continued to lure them in and push them away, only to lure and push again. It was a hopeless game of cat and mouse that they never seemed close to winning.

The sad fact was, they had seen neither hide nor hair of Naraku in the past year. It was part of why Inuyasha was so tense and uptight with Kagome. He thought they should be finding more shards, and that it would lead them to the evil hanyou. The infant that held his heart was hidden somewhere, and as long as it survived, Naraku would live. That meant, essentially, that Naraku could fight them as long as he liked because he couldn't die. The fact that he was hiding made Kagome nervous.

And to suddenly detect his miasma made her nerves crawl.

There had been several more attempts on their lives before Naraku vanished. Youkai continued to be corrupted by jewel shards, and some of them were obtained by the group, but most fell back into the spider's clutches, to be absorbed back into his large section of the jewel. Besides teasing them with what appeared to be random shards, only for the youkai in possession of them to be in Naraku's service and the shard lost, Hakudoshi claimed that there was a shard left between the worlds of living and dead.

Kagome hadn't thought about that in a while.

It had been three years, after all. When the child incarnation of Naraku first informed them of this, it stunned and depressed them. To find something not in their world seemed impossible. While they continued to find and purify the few shards left in the mortal world, Naraku was working to get his hands on the shard that would be most difficult to obtain. Kohaku still served under Naraku, and Koga would die before he let the spider take his shards.

All the hanyou needed for the last shard was a path. As soon as he reached the world between living and dead, the jewel would be nearly complete. A few stray shards and what Kagome possessed were another stepping stone in his eyes.

That was why, when Naraku and the white child Hakudoshi disappeared, it unsettled everyone, most especially Inuyasha. They could always fight the hanyou or his servants. They had been injured and lost the trail, and continued to press forward. But when Naraku was gone completely, it meant they lost any hope of defeating him.

Kagome felt that hope return when Sesshomaru claimed the spider was ruining his lands and turning his people against him. It was terrible. And it was a chance at finding Naraku. Kagome ran a hand over the strap of her quiver. They had to find him, or at least some form of evidence.

The scent grew stronger, and Kagome covered her nose. They were approaching the origin of the stench. Sesshomaru descended from his traveling cloud, running through trees that had begun to clear. Soon there were barely any trees at all, and Kagome leaped to the ground. What she saw when she looked up brought bile to her throat.

Kagome had never seen a youkai village. The occasional youkai lived within proximity of humans. Sometimes a hanyou lived a shunned life on the outskirts. The first time the miko laid eyes on a community of lesser youkai, she froze in fear.

The buildings were much the same as in human villages. Built from larger logs and more reeds, but essentially identical. Baskets sat in the street, filled with crops and goods. Vendors were set up to sell products to anyone who would take them. Beyond the village, on the hill, were rice fields, the large bodies of water shining in the sun. It was peaceful, if not for the miasma.

The purple smoke that accompanied the poison was not visible. However, the smell was impossible to miss. Along every street, in front of many houses, fathers and mothers, girls and boys, sat coughing and wheezing. Children complained of pain, and noses burning from the stench. Infants cried. Young men ran through the town, trying to find the source of the poison and destroy it.

Sesshomaru's people were dying.

"These aren't crops," Kagome whispered, thinking of Sesshomaru's words. "He's not killing the crops, he's killing the _people_." She felt tears prick the corners of her eyes, and she quickly blinked them away. These youkai needed someone strong.

"This Sesshomaru was not told of this." The daiyoukai growled, too low for anyone but Kagome to hear. He stepped forward to the low gate surrounding the houses, pushing it open and entering without pause. Kagome followed closely, gripping her bow. Naraku had gone too far.

The villagers stopped when they saw their lord, and bowed. Even the young ones showed respect without prompting from their mothers. Sesshomaru walked passed, surveying each youkai. The only noise was that of babies that wouldn't stop crying. The daiyoukai paused beside a mother trying to quell her daughter, the small body refusing to still. The woman kept herself bent low, afraid to stand in Sesshomaru's presence, and shushed the baby.

Kagome watched Sesshomaru. He stood in front of the mother, as if he expected her to quiet the baby and show every ounce of respect that she should. The miko had no doubt that Sesshomaru led his lands well, but if this was how he acted with individuals, it was no wonder he was feared.

She stepped around him, and knelt beside the mother. "Hello, miss."

The youkai started, and looked up at Kagome. "My lady," she said, bowing again.

Hm. News of Kagome and Sesshomaru's bond had spread further than she thought. Kagome ignored it, and said, "Are you having trouble with the little one?"

"I'm sorry, my lady!" the woman said immediately. She rocked her baby even as she continued to bow. "The poison, it hurts her. I can't . . ."

Kagome smiled, and touched the woman's shoulder. "It's all right. May I see her?"

The youkai hesitated, daring a glance at Sesshomaru without looking into his eyes. The daiyoukai remained where he was. She looked to her baby, and nodded. Kagome pushed on the woman's shoulder gently, guiding her to a standing position, and took the little girl into her own arms. The mother watched, her eyes flicking between the baby and Kagome's smile.

"Hush little baby, don't say a word," Kagome cooed, bringing a finger to the girl's nose. Touching it, Kagome's finger glowed a soft blue. The mother opened her mouth, but said nothing. "Your little cries have been heard," Kagome continued, taking her finger away. The infant hiccuped, and quieted.

The mother stared as Kagome handed the baby back. "I cleared the miasma from her nose," she said, "but keep a light cloth over her face, so she doesn't breathe in more. It's dangerous for someone that young." The miko smiled again. "Have a good day, miss."

Hesitating again, the woman nodded, and bowed. "Thank you, my lady."

"Call me Kagome."

Sesshomaru observed the interaction in silence, somewhat surprised when Kagome was able to concentrate her powers on the baby. To use miko powers on a youkai without harm, especially with a delicate child, showed immense control. And Kagome's soft expression as she was thanks made her joy in helping obvious.

_**For someone who instills fear in his subjects, a kind mate like Kagome could do wonders.**_

The daiyoukai scoffed at his inner self. He did not need advice. His subjects were loyal to him and no one else. Sesshomaru did not need another person to ensure his kingdom's welfare. _**Tell that to the subjects blaming you for Naraku's crimes,**_ his youkai chimed. Sesshomaru ignored the comment.

"We must be going," Sesshomaru said. "To the village leader," he added for clarification.

"Yes." Kagome nodded to the mother one last time, and fell behind the daiyoukai once more. "Naraku isn't present," she said as they walked through the dirt roads. Youkai bowed and whispered as they passed. "How recently do you think he was here?"

"That depends on how he dispersed the miasma," Sesshomaru said. "Judging by the lack of his direct scent, this Sesshomaru would determine the poison was placed here without Naraku having to pass through. The coward has likely hidden."

Chills crawled up Kagome's spine. If the hanyou could spread such a dangerous poison while remaining hidden in a protective shell somewhere, they were in for a hell of a job. She thought back to the camp, with the children, Jaken, and Ah-Un. Placing a hand on her chest, she prayed they stayed safe in their absence.

After a few minutes, they arrived at the largest building in town. Several dozen youkai, all male, stood in front of the doors in polite bows. No doubt they were rioting to see the leader and demand he fix the problem, before Sesshomaru arrived.

He passed them all without glancing. Kagome smiled and waved as politely as she could, hoping they would fear her less than Sesshomaru. At her kind looks, some of the youkai seemed puzzled, and a few gave tentative waves back. Being treated as such by leaders was unfamiliar.

The front doors of the home were closed. The moment Sesshomaru stepped up to them, they opened, and an older male youkai faced him. His black hair was streaked with gray, and the green eyes looked tired. He bowed, and said, "My lord, it is a pleasure to see you."

"Indeed. What is the meaning behind this?" Sesshomaru gestured to the village behind him.

"It happened a few hours ago," the village leader said, not standing from the bow. "It began slowly, my lord. We had not noticed it until the scent had permeated the village. Several women and children are already sick."

"You may stand," Sesshomaru said, as he surveyed the village once more. "Why has the chaos not been managed? Every youkai save for the warriors should be indoors."

"I am aware, my lord. But I have been dealing with some of the healers, they say the poison is a kind they have not encountered before."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "Your duty is to ensure the safety of those not infected before attending to the wounded."

The man was shaking. Kagome looked to the villagers, their fear of both the miasma and their powerful lord. If this continued, the village leader appeared to be in danger of fainting. She chose this moment to step forward, and address him herself.

"What is your name?" she asked, ignoring the subtle look Sesshomaru gave her. If they were to be equal partners, she had to deal with the subjects as directly as he was.

The man raised his eyebrows at her. He had not seen her behind the daiyoukai, and immediately bowed again. "It is Isao, my lady."

"Stand straight, Isao," Kagome said, smiling. "You are trying your best for your village. But this miasma is not something that can be dealt with by average means." She clasped her hands in front of her. "I am going to purify it."

Sesshomaru turned to her. "Kagome, the amount is too much for you."

She gave him a determined grin. "We'll see." Kagome faced the village leader again. "Isao, where is the highest point in the village?"

He thought for a moment, and said, "The temple."

"Perfect." She removed her bow and quivers from around her shoulders. "Sesshomaru, would you mind holding these?" She held the weapons out to him. The daiyoukai raised an eyebrow, and took them.

"I do not think this will produce the desired effect," he said.

"It doesn't hurt to try," Kagome said, turning and scanning the sky. The temple was easy to spot, it's roof towering over the tiny huts. She ran a few steps, and leaped into the air. Kagome was quickly growing to love the feeling of jumping so high, and could understand why Inuyasha often traveled in the tree tops instead of the ground.

A few more leaps, and she was standing at the top of the temple. She gave a silent apology to any gods that might be worshiped in the building, knowing they would not take kindly to her using it as a vantage point. She had to be high for this to work.

Kagome looked around the village, at the stunned faces turned to her. She had to be careful. One slip, and her miko abilities would burn any youkai in her path. The miasma would not be cleared any way other than purification. She held her hands in front of her, closing her eyes and willing her energy to pour into them.

The familiar blue glow flowed into her fingertips. Kagome envisioned the village leader, the mother she had helped, the children crying in pain. The blue increased in volume and intensity. The miasma was poisoning them. Killing their crops. Forcing them to look at Sesshomaru and blame their lord for lack of any solution.

Kagome could feel the energy churning within her. Hopefully, her transformation into a youkai would help more than Sesshomaru when it came to her powers. They couldn't be singled out to specific youkai before. They would simply purify what came in their path. But Kagome was a youkai now. Her abilities had to have a distinction between youki. The miasma was dangerous. These villagers were not.

The glow began to manifest as ethereal smoke, winding its way down Kagome's body. It touched her hips, thighs, knees, and her feet, as it wound down and hovered over the roof of the temple. Kagome took a deep breath, remembering the stink of the poison. _Destroy it,_ she thought, feeling the essence of her power drift downwards. _And leave them safe. _

It stopped at the edge of the roof, and began to curl around. It traced a circular path, connecting back on itself to form a ring around Kagome. The miko opened her eyes, and saw the villagers once more. They cowered. They knew of mikos, how they killed youkai. She gave one final smile to reassure them, closed her hands into fists, and slammed her arms together above her head.

The smoke hardened, shifting into a beam of pure energy, and pulsed outward. The ring rushed over the village, a sweeping wind behind it. Villagers screamed, ducking their heads. Bins toppled. Houses creaked. Kagome could feel the miasma against her barrier, fighting it. She clenched her teeth and hands, willing the energy to move forward and eliminate the poison.

As the energy cleared the village gates and the wind stopped, Kagome smelled the air. It took a moment for the movement to settle, and she could not place any scents. She waited, and sniffed again.

There was no longer a smell of miasma. She breathed with relief, and glanced at the villagers again. Her stomach sank.

Almost every one of them was groaning in pain. The children were crying louder. Many nursed their limbs, which were visibly pink and irritated where the skin showed. Kagome's eyes widened, and she jumped down from the temple roof.

"Kagome!"

The sound of that voice struck fear into her heart. Kagome froze in the middle of a street, and saw both Sesshomaru and Isao walking towards her. The village leader had the same pink irritation on his skin as the other youkai. Sesshomaru was unmarked.

To anyone else, Sesshomaru had a slight frown. But Kagome knew better when looking at the constantly stoic expression. If he were showing emotion at all, Sesshomaru would be raging inside. Kagome sighed, placing her hands together in front of her.

"What is the meaning of this?" Sesshomaru glared as they approached, stopping just in front of her. Kagome kept her head low, trying to block out the sounds of the villagers' pain.

"I dispelled the miasma," she said, in a deadpan tone. "But I could not control my powers well enough. On their own, they might have killed the villagers. I was only able to exert enough control to prevent that. Unfortunately, they were still harmed."

"That poison was killing us," Isao said, grasping his arms. He winced at the contact, and said, "But replacing one harm for another is not what I wished."

"I'm sorry!" Kagome bowed, her heart beating fast. She hadn't meant to hurt anyone. Especially not on this scale. An entire village. She didn't even know if there was a way to treat the burns. "Please, Isao, believe me when I say that I did not intend this. I wanted to help your people."

"Your apology is acknowledged, my lady," Isao said, bowing in return. "I am aware that you wanted to provide assistance." He stood straight, looking around. Kagome did so as well. The villagers were staring at them, some still rubbing their injuries. "However . . ."

"I'll fix this," Kagome said. "I know I can, I just-"

"No."

Both youkai turned to Sesshomaru, who narrowed his eyes. "Kagome, you will do nothing more. I will send a healer from my palace to bring medicine and treat the wounds. Village leader Isao." He faced the man. "As Lord of the West, it is my duty to be rid of Naraku and the plague he brings to the lands. It is also my responsibility to control my _mate_." His emphasis on the word made Kagome twitch. "She will not be allowed to use her powers without my strict instruction from here on."

Isao smiled with relief, and bowed to Sesshomaru once more. "Thank you, my lord, for your help. We are eternally grateful."

"Come." Sesshomaru thrust Kagome's bow and quiver at her, and she caught them. "We must alert Jaken of this and have him send for a healer."

Kagome didn't say a word, nodding silently and following Sesshomaru through the dirt paved streets. Some of the villagers glared as she passed, careful enough to not look directly at her and avoid accusation of disrespecting royalty. The guilt in Kagome's heart grew with each step.

She had been doing well. She was making progress with her newly found youkai powers, and the way her miko abilities were developing alongside them. Kagome was confident. In the years of being with her friends, she practiced and hit her mark almost every time. Kagome could always purify the jewel shards and act as a proper miko is training.

This was a wake up call. Kagome was not in a fairytale, and she was not the princess blessed with gifts by faeries upon birth. She had to work at her skills. She couldn't trust her instincts and be correct every time.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, as they left the village gates and began the walk back to the camp. There was no need to run back, knowing Naraku was not in the area any longer and his miasma gone.

"As you should be," Sesshomaru said, not looking at her as they walked. "I did not expect you to dispel the miasma. That was a well accomplished feat." Kagome didn't have long to revel in the compliment, as Sesshomaru followed with, "But harming my citizens is not easily forgiven. Your attitude led me to believe that you knew what you were doing. Inform me if you are going to attempt something new."

"Yes." Normally, Kagome might have argued her case. Even if she had messed up, she got the job done. However, this wasn't the time for that.

"You are not to use your miko abilities unless I tell you to."

This time, Kagome's anger flared, and she frowned. "Sesshomaru, I can handle my powers. I know how to shoot arrows and purify. I understand if you don't want me trying new things until I know how they work, but I'm going to-"

Sesshomaru turned, grabbing her arm and yanking her forward. Kagome yelped, inches away from the daiyoukai's face. Anger seeped from his aura, making her shudder. "Listen to me, wench," Sesshomaru said, the insult curling on his tongue. "You are the female, and you will do as I say. If you make a mistake, and I dictate that you are not to risk it in the future unless I allow it, you will not question my decision."

"That isn't-"

He shoved her back, resuming his walk toward camp. "End of discussion," Sesshomaru said.

Kagome gripped her arms, the sore muscles protesting the rough treatment. She opened her mouth to retaliate, and thought of the villagers again.

Moaning in pain. Because of her.

She stood still, remembering the feeling of power in her fingers. The release as it covered the village. Her prayers that it wouldn't harm anyone.

Sesshomaru was right. Kagome did not know what she was doing. Naraku was threatening to destroy them and anyone in his path. It was not the time for testing. Kagome had to know what she could do and how to control it.

Kagome began following Sesshomaru once more. She would not allow herself to be so foolish again. And she would not allow Sesshomaru to tell her how to use her powers.

()

Hey-o, everybody! Mattaki again, at the end of another chapter. It's come to my attention that this story almost has more chapters, and will probably be longer, than its previous incarnation. But because the chapters are significantly shorter, I suppose it's no surprise that we're much further back in the plot. I plan to make progress, in both the romance and the underlying plots, from here on out. You'll also be receiving a fair share of the other character's lives as they all hunt down the big bad that we love to hate.

I've been reading up on 'Inuyasha: The Final Act,' which is the finishing of the Inuyasha anime. Knowing how the story truly ends, it makes me feel a little bad about writing an alternate universe. In truth, I enjoy the cannon story, especially since it's better than anything I could ever write.

For those who want to know, the official label of this Inuyasha story is that it branches from the cannon after the end of the first Inuyasha anime, and the manga chapter that's equivalent to it. I never read the manga, though I plan to do so, and was only aware of where the first anime ended when I started writing this tale of whimsy. So, that is why events that happen in the later anime and manga may or may not be happening here. I've also tweaked some details about the jewel shards and Naraku to better fit my plot.

But enough rambling! I will post the next chapter early, around Oct. 20th, because the weekend after that, I will be extremely busy with college work once more. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please review to let me know what you thought.

Ja ne~


	32. The Abandonment

A deep, throaty laugh rang through the room, a strong chest rumbling with it. Fingers traced the edges of the mirror as careful eyes watched the two inu youkai walking through the forest. The female positively fumed behind the strong male. At this rate, they would never fall in love.

Perfect.

Naraku smiled, and shooed Kanna away. The image in the mirror vanished as she pulled it back, departing through the small door. The spider hanyou tapped his fingers against his chair, thinking of how he could use this to his advantage.

Poisoning the daiyoukai's had the effect he wanted. The citizens were slowly losing trust in their lord, and those that didn't were dying either way. Crops were destroyed across the area. People were starving. Even with those that hunted and ate meat, the sudden fall in farm goods meant more youkai hunting, which led to another shortage in available prey. It would not be long before the population of not only the West, but the country as a whole began to dwindle. Youkai would resort to slaughtering humans. The lords of both youkai and human lands would fight each other. A storm more than suitable for Naraku to take control.

However, that little miko would soon be a problem. Naraku was not shocked to see her paired by the Hana no Shukumei to a daiyoukai she hated. Matters of the heart rarely interested him. It was her transformation into a youkai and the subsequent strengthening of her miko powers that startled and annoyed Naraku. It made sense in context, for the godly abilities of the mysterious Hana to change her body into a form that would not harm her mate upon joining. But the combination of youki and miko powers was rare and lethal.

To see Kagome fail at protecting a village and Sesshomaru's rage pleased him. Despite their closeness and growing feelings, the daiyoukai continued to allow his pride to get in the way of truly caring for the girl. Nothing short of a life or death situation could make the great Lord Sesshomaru realize the dangers of abandoning Kagome.

If he continued to work behind the scenes, Naraku could win the game faster than he thought. He might have waited longer to initiate the plan, but one fact had started the entire escapade.

Kikyo was dead.

When Kanna showed him the death in the mirror, Naraku refused to believe it. He spent days in denial, watching the scene over and over again. She was dead the entire time she existed in the clay body. However, seeing the inu hanyou kill her for good stirred something in Naraku that he did not like. It was not long after that he began to destroy the food of the land.

If there was no further hope for restoring Kikyo, there was no point in waiting to accomplish his goals. Naraku laced his fingers together, contemplating.

At least the inu hanyou put himself in yet another idiotic predicament. Impregnating a tiger female would ensure that he could not track Naraku too far before he had to return to his mate. That left Naraku free to do almost anything he wished. And the splitting of Kagome from her friends meant they could no longer track his aura or the energy of the Shikon no Tama. After the last few shards were torn from Kagome, the wolf, and the youkai slayer boy, there would be one last shard in between the worlds of living and dead. When he retrieved that, Naraku would be unstoppable.

He felt a wind behind him, and said, "Kagura."

The wind mistress stood, her fan blocking her face. "Naraku," she said return.

"Status?" he asked, unlacing his fingers.

She did not move behind him, simply said, "The miasma is completely dispersed, despite her lack of protection for the villagers. I believe her abilities are growing."

"Believing is for fools," Naraku said. "Is her power growing or not?"

A pause. "It is."

"Fine. I will send another wave to their relative area." Naraku considered for a moment, and smiled. "Perhaps it will entertain me to accommodate them. Lord Sesshomaru is heading toward Lord Rei and his land. I will send a concentrated poison to the areas around Lord Rei's castle."

Kagura huffed. "You never bothered with the other youkai lords before, Naraku."

"I had no reason to," he said. "But now, my power is sufficient that I would not mind if the other youkai lords attacked in unison with our dear Sesshomaru. I daresay I might find it fun."

"Very well." Though Naraku did not look at her, he could feel Kagura bow. "I will continue to watch Lord Sesshomaru from a distance, if that is what you wish."

"It is." Naraku paused, and said, "If the miko shows signs of increasing ability again, alert me immediately. I want to keep tabs on our little girl."

"Yes, Naraku." Another gust of wind, and she was gone. Naraku closed his eyes, envisioning Kagura's heart, trapped and slowly breaking. It was no secret that she had affections for Lord Sesshomaru, that she hoped his power would be enough to save her from her personal Hell.

If the little miko had not been bonded to the daiyoukai, and if the inu hanyou had not made the mistake of mating with a stranger, perhaps circumstances would have led to Sesshomaru being kind as to work with the former team of friends to kill Naraku. At the moment, they were too fragmented to do anything. If Kagura thought she would be freed, she was sorely mistaken.

"Kanna."

The young girl entered the room once more, carrying her mirror. "Yes," she said, her eyes vacant and empty. Naraku never could read what was in those strange eyes, though he knew he didn't need to. "Show me my heart," Naraku said.

Kanna obeyed, holding the mirror for her master to see.

The infant was being guarded by Hakudoshi at the moment. The two of them were nestled in the depths of a youkai cave, surrounded by a protective barrier. Hakudoshi did not require the protection, but Naraku felt like taking precautions. It wouldn't hurt, either way. And it ensured that no one of the pesky band of enemies could track down his incarnations.

Naraku smiled again. His plan was going well.

()

Sesshomaru took each step with care, focusing solely on the ground. Without a threat around them, there was no need to fly back to camp. He wanted the travel time for Kagome to think about what she did. As Sesshomaru took another step, he held back a growl at the loud voice screaming at him.

_**You're an idiot! I can't believe you did that to her, she was just starting to trust you, now Kagome is angry again, it was clear she already felt guilty, and . . .**_

His inner youkai began ranting the moment Sesshomaru started the walk back to camp. He ignored it, but the voice seemed to grow louder as they walked. Sesshomaru supposed this might be what other youkai considered a conscience. He found the voice of his other half irritating beyond belief, and he wished he could kill it.

Sesshomaru was well aware of Kagome's guilt. It was obvious in her scent the moment she realized what she had done. If Sesshomaru let her get away with an apology, she would never learn. Destroy, apologize, destroy, apologize. It was the same habit the soldiers got into if they weren't disciplined. They thought being sorry could make up for a lack of skills.

He wouldn't allow that precedent to be set. The forest around them thickened the further they were from the youkai village. Smelling the air, Sesshomaru caught the scents of animals and foliage, but no sign of their camp. It would be a while until they reached it, at this speed. At least there was no trace of Naraku, either.

The daiyoukai did not care for this game. The last few months, all the reports of poisoning were merely about animals and crops. Sesshomaru spent some time investigating before he was sure it was Naraku, because it was less violent than his traditional methods. This, on the other hand, was more like him. Hurting innocent villagers for his own gain.

_**And Kagome saved them, you-!**_

_Enough! _Sesshomaru thought, silencing his other half. _She made a mistake and this Sesshomaru will not stand for it. If I cared for her guilt, you would not need to lecture me. Leave._

His inner youkai settled in the back of his mind. Sesshomaru continued to watch the path, retracing the run through the forest Kagome did when she was following him to the village. Her scent was obvious in the trees. That she managed not to trip or fall during her first time leaping from branches was rather impressive.

Sesshomaru stopped when Kagome stalked ahead of him. "What are you doing?"

"Going back to camp," she said. "I can find my own way back from here. You aren't the only one with a good sense of smell."

Sesshomaru matched her pace, and said, "You will walk behind me. It is proper for a mate-"

"We're not mates," Kagome interrupted, "no matter what you said to the village leader. Until I agree to anything with you, we're nothing more than acquaintances, and you can't tell me where to walk. Or how to use my powers." She glared, her anger evident, and she ran forward.

Sesshomaru was wrong on one point. The long walk had not given her time to think about her actions and abrupt behavior with her powers. It gave her time to stew in her anger until she could no longer take it. He ran to match her again, saying, "Your independence cost the trust of my citizens."

"Which is more important than their lives?" Kagome countered.

"This Sesshomaru would rather have dead soldiers than live rebels."

She halted, and Sesshomaru did the same, standing several feet ahead of her. Her fists clenched, and her feet dug into the ground. "Is that what you truly think, Sesshomaru?" She narrowed her eyes. "That it's better to have obedient people die than lose their loyalty and save their lives?"

"I would rather not harm them in the process of diluting a dangerous substance," he said.

"And do you think _I_ wanted that!?" Kagome growled, baring her fangs. It was more inu than Sesshomaru had ever seen her act. She was angrier than he anticipated. "I feel awful about hurting them, but I would do it again if it meant stopping the miasma from killing them. Go ahead and blame me, Sesshomaru, but don't act high and mighty because I'm still learning about my abilities. A true mate would support someone when they make a mistake and teach them how to fix it, not forbid them from using their powers without permission."

Sesshomaru frowned. "And how would you know? You have never been mated. My brother abandoned you for a dead woman. No respectable man would want a woman as outspoken as yourself. A female should be seen and not heard, even as the Lady of the West."

Kagome's cheeks flared red. "At least your brother showed me some affection once in a while! You claim to be tired of dancing around the mating, to like me more than other women, and then you treat me the same way you always do."

"It is not in this Sesshomaru's nature to be affectionate. I warned you of that."

"Maybe that's not what I want," Kagome said, sighing. "I want support, Sesshomaru. I want help. If I hurt someone with my powers, I want you to correct me, to show me what I did wrong. Even if you have no miko abilities, it's clear that you know more about control than I do. And if we're going to be together for the rest of our lives, I want someone who isn't afraid to show me that he cares about me." She shook her head. "I'm trying, Sesshomaru, I really am. I've told myself that we can't grow like a normal couple. That we have to battle and train together, and hunt for Naraku, and if we were lucky, we might discover our feelings. And I admire you in a lot of ways. But this is the last straw." She looked him straight in the eyes. "I won't let you control me because I make mistakes."

She ran forward, wind rushing past Sesshomaru as he watched her leave for the camp.

Kagome would not be speaking with him for a while. Sesshomaru followed her path at a slower run, turning the argument over in his mind.

_** Now you've done it, she's furious with you. **_

Sesshomaru ignored the voice. However, he could not ignore the feeling in the pit of his stomach. He would not admit it to anyone, but the argument with Kagome left him wishing he could take back his words.

()

Hatori's ears flicked, and he turned around, away from the game Shippo was showing them. He sensed a dangerous aura, and tensed, expecting the imp Jaken to do something about it.

When the imp did not move from his spot, napping under a tree, Hatori narrowed his eyes, and smelled the air. That explained it, the aura he sensed was Lady Kagome. Jaken, even if awake, would not be tuned to her. However, the edge in her aura frightened him. It had a bite that was unfamiliar to the kind miko.

"Kagome is approaching," Hatori said, looking at Shippo. The fox brightened, smelling the air and turning in the direction of her scent. It was only a moment before she appeared, and Shippo's face fell when he saw her expression.

It was worse than the face Kagome made when Inuyasha angered her. Shippo didn't know if he had ever seen her that angry outside of a fight with Naraku.

"We're going," she said curtly, picking up Shippo.

"Wait, Mama!" Shippo struggled, unable to break free. "Where? What happened?" The orders Sesshomaru gave Jaken to watch them, how quickly he left, indicated to Shippo well enough that something important was going on. His mother was upset and grabbing her backpack.

"We're going to stay with Kaede for a while," Kagome said. At that moment, Sesshomaru appeared behind them, frowning.

"You will do no such thing," he said, reaching the grab Kagome.

She jerked away, and glared. "You want me to control my powers," she said, stepping back. "Well, then, I'll learn. Kaede is the wisest miko I know, and she has plenty of knowledge about youkai. She can teach me about self control and knowing my limits, since you clearly don't care to show me." Kagome hoisted the backpack onto her shoulders, shifting her heavy son in her arms. The kit was growing, and not truly the right size to be carried anymore, but Kagome needed something to prevent her from becoming angrier than she was.

"You will restrict your powers and learn from this Sesshomaru when I decide to teach you," he said, holding back a growl. By this point, Jaken had woken and was sputtering.

"My lord," he said, "what mission did you leave for-" Upon noticing Kagome, with backpack and fox kit, he silenced himself. The tension was palpable, and even Jaken knew not to interfere.

Rin grabbed Hatori's hand, her brow furrowing with worry. Hatori glanced at her, and squeezed her fingers gently.

"A teacher who expects his pupil to be perfect on each try is not much of a teacher," Kagome said, tightening her grip on Shippo. The fox protested, and she loosened her grip. "As I said, Sesshomaru, I take full responsibility for the accident, but if you insist on boxing me up because of it, it's clear that I can't become a warrior under your wing." She turned, readying herself to leap.

Sesshomaru snatched the back of her kimono, and Kagome yelped as the cloth dug into her neck while she jumped. It was not strong enough to sustain the daiyoukai's grip, and tore. Kagome landed shakily on a tree branch, and glared again. "I'm going to see Kaede," she said. "End of discussion."

With words the mirrored Sesshomaru's, she ran through the branches, Shippo yelling and struggling. Kagome only held him tighter, and did not look back.

Sesshomaru stood with the shredded cloth of Kagome's neckline, his teeth bared. She thought she could get away with disobeying him. Foolish miko.

He took a step forward, prepared to chase, and the strange feeling in his stomach returned. Sesshomaru paused, wondering what it was. It was not unfamiliar, though he could not recall the last time he encountered it. As he considered it, he felt his heartbeat begin to quicken.

With clenched fist, he realized what the feeling was. Guilt. The same guilt Kagome felt only minutes ago, rising as they argued and her anger became evident.

The miko made him feel things he did not like. Sesshomaru released a quiet growl.

_**Look at you,**_ his inner youkai chanted. _**You boast about not letting love stain your image. And the moment she does something, something you, as her mate, will be blamed for, and the trust of your citizens is at stake, you take it out on Kagome. She was willing to learn from her mistake, moron. You're supposed to tell her that it will be all right. **_

Sesshomaru frowned. _I made no mention of love,_ he thought. The feeling in his chest twisted, and his fingers traced the armor covering it.

_**Dispelling the miasma was a feat, and you know it. Hurting the villagers in the process was almost guaranteed. You could have told her that, or at least shown her the proper technique for controlling herself. **_

The daiyoukai did not have time for this. He prepared the follow Kagome's trail, picking up her scent on the wind. As he walked forward, he hesitated.

The look in her eyes played in his memories. The distrust and anger, all covering an increasing sense of guilt over harming the innocent. Strong and weak at the same time.

That was what Kagome was. A fighting miko who could face youkai, with fragile emotions that swayed constantly on a precipice.

Sesshomaru turned around, and glared at Jaken. "Ready Ah-Un. We will continue toward the Eastern border to speak with Lord Rei about Naraku."

Jaken glanced at the spot where Kagome left. "Are you sure, my lord?"

"Indeed." Sesshomaru peered at the shredded cloth in his hands, and the scent that lingered around it. He moved to toss it away, as Jaken gathered Ah-Un's reins and ushered the children onto the dragon's back. The daiyoukai paused, and, unbeknownst to the group, tucked the cloth into his sleeve.

Rin and Hatori stayed silent as they left the camp, both children watching the spot where Kagome had been.

()

A few minutes passed. Ten. Fifteen. A half hour.

Kagome continued to leap in the trees, expecting Sesshomaru to come after her. When she left for the well, her friends kept Inuyasha at bay. And even if he did come after her, he was her friend. He didn't force her back down the well. He waited until Kagome was ready to leave.

She thought Sesshomaru would be the opposite, and drag her back to camp the moment she left. He had the strength, and certainly didn't care for how Kagome felt on the matter. He came after her when she visited her family before.

_**And allowed you to stay,**_ her inner youkai chimed. Kagome frowned. The presence was making itself known more and more these days.

_For one day,_ Kagome thought. And she wasn't visiting family this time, only Kaede. She loved the old miko like a grandmother, but Sesshomaru would claim that didn't matter and take her to their group to catch Naraku.

It didn't matter if they caught Naraku now, Kagome thought, because she clearly couldn't control her powers. Being human had the advantage of predictable abilities that could be trained well. As a youkai, it was obvious her strength had grown, but she lost control in the process.

She had to prepare herself better for the fight against Naraku. Kaede was the only woman she knew that could help. This was the argument Kagome would use when Sesshomaru insisted she go back with him and stop being disobedient.

Which made her all the more surprised when he did not show. An hour of traveling through the woods, intent on going back to Edo, and Sesshomaru had yet to show his face. Eventually, Kagome slowed, and turned back.

"Mama, put me down!"

She looked at her son, and smiled. "Sorry, Shippo." Kagome set him down gently on the tree branch they currently resided in. "We can rest for a while."

"This isn't a good idea, Mama." Shippo frowned at her. "You and Sesshomaru-"

"Will get back on track," Kagome said, sighing. "Yes, I blew up at him. I was just . . . frustrated. I don't like being put down when I'm trying my best." She ran a hand through her hair, fingers brushing the mark on her forehead. She hadn't thought about the mark in some time. Or any part of her outward appearance.

Fangs. Pointed ears. A crescent moon. Only three traits that changed, and Kagome barely thought about them. Symbols that she was bound to a man she hardly knew.

"We'll get back on track," she whispered. She picked up Shippo again, ignoring his protests, and continued on toward Edo.

The scent of humans pulled her. Kagome wasn't sure where she was going when she left, but as time passed, and she took in the scents around her, Kagome detected humans, and ran that way. Most humans lived toward the center of the country, at the outskirts of the youkai borders. As far away as possible from the powerful beings, convincing themselves that they ruled in a human system.

Kaede once told her of it, how it worked. The youkai controlled and ruled directly over other youkai, and indirectly over humans. The two species left one another alone in silent agreement that the youkai could do as they pleased, and humans would not try to kill the ones in power.

It was an imperfect system, though it left the country intact. Kagome had seen the human side, living in fear of youkai and attacking those that hurt them. And now she saw the youkai half, trying to keep lands under control and prevent rebellion.

Kagome wanted to work with Sesshomaru. She wanted to help his citizens and be a part of their lives. If Kagome was to mate Sesshomaru, she wanted to be a true Lady of the West.

For that, she needed Kaede's help.

The scent of humans grew stronger as she ran. Shippo had given up on fighting, and was lulled into sleep by the rhythm of travel.

Something that might have taken days by walking, navigating through expansive forest and fields plowed and cultivated by villages, was soon approached at Kagome's new speed through the treetops. After a few hours of constant running, the fox kit still asleep, Kagome caught the scent of humans again, stronger than before.

Minutes later, a village came into view. Kagome smiled at the sight, and sped forward. Her legs were beginning to ache from the day's work, and she couldn't wait to see Kaede.

Shippo stirred, and opened his eyes. Kagome slowed, stopping as the edge of the village came close. "We're here, sweetie," she said, setting Shippo on the ground. The sun would soon hit the horizon, cloaking the world in darkness.

Shippo glanced at the village. "Mama, are you sure we can't go back to Sesshomaru?"

"Later," Kagome said sternly. "Come on, let's go see Kaede."

The villagers recognized Kagome right away. They waved and smiled. Kagome waved back, careful to ensure her hair covered her youkai features. As much as they knew Kagome, the apprentice miko training under Kaede for the past three years, they might not accept her as an inu.

She found Kaede's hut easily. It stood apart from the other houses, and it smelled of the old miko. Kagome took the scent in, grinning. "Kaede!" she called, stepping close and pulling back the flap that covered the doorway. "It's me, Kagome-"

The miko stopped, staring at the sight before her.

The tiger hanyou looked up from the pot of stew boiling, and smiled. "Hello," she said, and her eyes widened with recognition, and mild surprise. "Oh, Kagome! It's nice to see you."

"Uh, hello," she said, searching her memory for the tigress' name. "Kyoko."

This was not what Kagome expected.

()

Mattaki, here! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. I have to make this brief, I'm very tired.

The next chapter will be posted around November 3rd or 4th.

Thank you very much for reading, and please review! I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you again.

Ja ne~


	33. The Interim

Kagome sipped at the tea, barely avoiding staring at the tiger hanyou before her. The last interaction made her flush with embarrassment, remembering the way she cried at the finality of knowing Inuyasha would never be hers.

And the way Sesshomaru comforted her.

She scowled at the thought, and glanced at Kyoko to distract herself. "When did you come to Kaede's?" she asked, holding back the question she truly wanted to voice. Shippo sat beside her, watching the two with uncharacteristic silence. The kit hadn't spoken since they came upon Kyoko, not even asking who she was.

"Recently," Kyoko said, putting away the tea supplies and taking her own cup. "Inuyasha wanted to focus on finding Naraku." Her eyes fell to the floor. "My pregnancy was in his way."

At the mention of Inuyasha and pregnancy, Shippo looked at his mother in surprise. Kagome gave him a look that said she would explain later. She turned to Kyoko, and felt a tug of sympathy.

A call from outside made Shippo jump, and Kagome glance at the door. "If you continue to pity yourself, you will not be strong enough to deliver your own child!"

Kaede appeared in the doorway a moment later, the scent of herbs and aged wood strong on her. Kagome breathed it in as she smiled at the older miko. "Hello, Kaede. It's wonderful to see you."

"Kaede!" Shippo said, beaming.

Kaede laughed. "I am pleased to see you as well, Kagome, and you, Shippo." She gave them a soft smile, and moved her gaze to Kyoko. "As for you, Hansha, Inuyasha is coming back soon. Do not waste time rotting in guilt when you have a child to care for."

Such harsh words coming from a woman Kagome thought of as an elder guide shocked her, and reminded Kagome of the days when she was first learning from the miko. Kaede would use strict methods when she thought Kagome could learn a technique no other way. One word caught Kagome's attention, and said repeated, "Hansha?"

Kyoko smiled. "A nickname. My name is written in the kanji meaning 'child of today,' but 'Kyo' can also be written using the kanji meaning 'mirror.' The word hansha means reflection."

Kaede sat beside the hanyou, and said, "It is a reminder. She reflects her problems unto others to the point of irritation because she is insecure in herself. Inuyasha is dutiful if nothing else, and I am sure he will not abandon his child, so you must forget his absence and focus on the present."

Kyoko nodded, sipping her tea. Kagome blinked, looking between the two of them. Even when training to perfect her skills as a miko, Kagome never received a cruel nickname. But, if Kaede felt it necessary, it would be good for the hanyou girl. Kagome trusted her judgment.

And that was why she came here in the first place. She opened her mouth to speak, and Shippo interrupted.

"What's going on?" he asked, hurt evident at his voice. "Where's Inuyasha? And Mama, how come you seem to know about all this?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"I wondered that myself," Kaede said. "Inuyasha implied that you knew of the pregnancy."

Kagome sighed, looking at Kyoko, who only watched her with slitted tiger pupils. Her eyes drifted to Kyoko's abdomen, which showed no sign of holding a child within it. "I did meet Kyoko," Kagome said. "Sesshomaru came across Inuyasha's scent. He was losing himself to his youkai half. Kyoko was attempting to calm him, and she mentioned the pregnancy in front of us."

"Is that where you guys disappeared to before?" Shippo asked, wrinkling his brow. "Is that why you guys were fighting earlier?"

Kagome stiffened. "No, that isn't why we fought. There was something else going on. Anyway," she said, ignoring the curious looks of the two women, "has Inuyasha left? You mentioned Naraku, Kaede." Kagome faced the older miko.

She nodded, and said, "Aye. Kyoko was experiencing weakness from the pregnancy and the weather. It could grow worse as it gets colder. I told her to avoid travel."

"And Inuyasha didn't want to lose Naraku's trail," Kyoko added. "I'm staying here to rest. He said he will come back soon." The sadness crept into her voice, but in Kaede's presence, Kyoko managed to keep her expression together.

"Now," Kaede said, "what is this fight with Sesshomaru that you mentioned?"

Attention shifted to her, Kagome gulped and looked away. It was the last thing she wanted to speak about. But she could not lie or hide the truth from Kaede. Even if Kagome did not love her as much as she did, Kaede had a way of weeding dishonesty out of everyone.

Kagome explained everything as best she could, about the village and Naraku's miasma poisoning the town, Kagome purifying the miasma and harming the youkai villagers in the process, Sesshomaru's obvious anger at losing confidence in his citizens from a mate that could not control her powers, and Kagome leaving to seek Kaede's help. As she spoke, Kagome began to understand better why Sesshomaru would be angry. With all the doubt being rooted by Naraku, he needed every ounce of trust he could gain from his people. However, it did not dampen Kagome's frustration with him.

When she finished, Kaede sat in silence for a few minutes. Shippo pat Kagome's hand in a gesture of comfort, and Kagome lifted him to her lap in response. She noticed Kyoko watching them, and smiled. Clearly the mother to be wanted to learn by observation.

Before Kagome could consider this further, Kaede spoke. "If you wish me to assist you, I will need conformation that you will return to Lord Sesshomaru's side."

"Of course," Kagome said without thinking, even as her cheeks brightened with color at the thought of returning after such an explosive fight. "We're bound by the Hana no Shukumei, I have to return."

"I meant, that I want you to return because you wish to do so."

Kagome's eyes widened in shock. "Because I want to?" She raised an eyebrow.

The old miko nodded. "I will not assist you if the assistance only gives you the chance to run from your destiny. Fate is never written in stone, Kagome, but if you try to avoid the path fate pushes you toward, the consequences could be dire."

That struck a chord. Kagome stared, the words penetrating her mind. No one told her she could avoid her fate. She was destined to mate Sesshomaru, and that was that. Kaede was the first to mention an alternative.

Judging by the sound of her voice, Kagome didn't want to take the alternative.

She hugged her son tightly, and the kit didn't protest. "I know what the right thing to do is, Kaede," she said, sighing. "And, to be honest . . ." Kagome thought once more about Sesshomaru, the way he comforted her and claimed he would put his effort into their mating. It was the only time she could recall him being genuinely truthful, without any hint of hesitation or lies in his golden irises. "I don't hate Sesshomaru, or even dislike him," she said. "It's just hard to deal with someone who hides everything until it blows up. He was so angry with me, I had no idea how to deal with it after knowing him as a cold youkai who revealed nothing."

Kaede stared at Kagome for a long moment. The intensity made even Shippo nervous, and as he squirmed, Kagome relinquished him. Shippo scrambled out of the hut with a muttered, "I'm gonna go for a walk."

Another moment passed, and Kaede stood. "You may stay here tonight, Kagome." She gave her a small smile. "Decide how you feel. We can discuss whether I will provide assistance in the morning."

Kagome nodded, glad to have her consent for now. Kaede left, leaving only Kagome and Kyoko alone in the building. She peered at the tiger hanyou, who rubbed her flat stomach absently.

Kagome sighed, and leaned against the thin wood walls. She didn't think she was confused. Sesshomaru was good at heart, protecting his people, and acting as a father to Rin. His violent methods frustrated her, and he could be cold, but Kagome could see past that. He had her respect. Kagome wanted it to work, if they were to be bound forever.

Sesshomaru said himself that he also wanted it to work. He was tired of fighting the Hana and vowed to put his energy into their Mating Dance. Kagome remembered when he held her hand, rubbing her fingers gently. The touch only lasted a moment, and it was not the first touch they shared. And yet, it was the first time he touched her with such tenderness. It made Kagome's heart flutter when he held it, and her heart felt empty when he released her hand and insisted they returned to camp. Kagome suspected the closeness frightened him. It frightened her, as well.

"I wish our situations could be reversed, Miss Kagome."

Her head turned, to face the hanyou. "Why is that, Kyoko?" Kagome asked.

Kyoko smiled, and said, "Call me Hansha, as Kaede does. It is difficult for each of us to have such similar names."

Kagome blinked, and nodded. "All right, Hansha. Why should our situations be switched?"

The tiger hanyou paused in thought, and said, "Not switched, necessarily, but I might prefer to be in your shoes. I lost my father at an early age. It's been hard to find those that accept me." She touched her stomach again. "It might be easier to be bound to someone I did not like, than to try and find someone that did not hate me."

"It's not," Kagome said, shaking her head. "Being bound like this, it feels constricting." She hesitated, and corrected herself. "It felt that way at first. I'm used to it now, but the confusion is there. I believe . . ." Kagome sighed. "I know that Sesshomaru is good. But to be with him when he refuses to be honest with himself, it . . . I just wish I could help." Kagome closed her eyes. "I wanted to help his people, and remove some of his burden. I made a mistake. And when he threw the mistake in my face, I took it badly. The fight is as much my fault as it is his. He could have been less of a jerk, but I'm a part of this."

"Sharing the burdens of a fate bound mating must be difficult."

Kagome looked at Kyoko. No, Hansha. The girl who reflected her own feelings back at others. Thinking of her situation with Inuyasha, Kagome reasoned that they might not be that different.

"It is," Kagome agreed. "Trying to fight Naraku doesn't help." She clenched a fist. "I've handled this poorly."

Hansha shrugged. "You could apologize."

Kagome laughed, a nervous noise that sounded choked. "I could. I might, in a little while." Kagome took a deep breath. "My pride got in the way of a lot of apologies I should have given. Still." She frowned as she thought of Sesshomaru trying to control her. "He deserves to be alone, for a little while." And her thoughts flitted back to that tender touch on her hand. Kagome wished it were as simple as whether she hated the daiyoukai or not. Instead the feelings were too mixed for comfort. "I wasn't planning to stay away very long," she continued. "I want help from Kaede as much as I want to let him know that he can't do as he pleases with me."

"You're brazen," Hansha said, and smiled. "I like that."

Kagome grinned, and the two laughed. The tiger was strange. Moaning about her predicament and being thrashed by Kaede's words, yet still wise enough to listen and give Kagome advice. It reminded Kagome of Souta. Her brother was immature and whined, and yet he was the one Kagome could go to if she had problems their mother wouldn't understand.

They spoke for a while longer, the day passing slowly. The weather was going through a hot flash, that would soon turn crisp and violently cold. Fall would descend, and winter soon after. Kagome watched the sky through the flap covering the door. For once, it felt good to talk with someone and rest. It wasn't like resting at camp, or at the castle. Kaede's hut was like a second home, filled with aged scents that wrapped around the air in a gentle caress. Kagome inhaled deeply, soothing herself.

Shippo returned after some time, poking his head in meekly. "Mama?" he said. "Where's Kaede?"

Kagome smiled, and beckoned him inside. "I'm not sure," Kagome admitted, as Shippo sat beside her. "I feel better, though. Kyo-, I mean, Hansha and I were talking."

"Oh." Shippo looked at the tiger hanyou. "Are you really have Inuyasha's baby?"

Hansha blushed, a hand going to her belly. "Yes. It was a mistake, really, but I'm not going to abandon it." The feline ears on her head flattened. "I only wish Inuyasha could be here."

"He'll be back." Kagome touched Hansha's hand. "Inuyasha . . ." She hesitated. "He had a hard childhood. I don't think he would do the same to his kid."

Hansha smiled, and nodded.

They continued talking well into the evening, and Kaede did not show until the sun had long since passed. Shippo fell asleep next to his mother, his head leaning against her hip. Kagome brushed his hair lightly while she talked with Hansha.

When Kaede reappeared, she held a bag of herbs from the forest. That answered the question of where she'd been. She beside the women, pulling out a few plants and grabbing the pot over the fire. "Hansha, would you fetch me some water?"

The tiger stood, and said, "Yes, Kaede."

Kagome frowned as she watched her go. "She's pregnant. Shouldn't she rest?"

Kaede placed the herbs in the pot, and shook her head. "She is not heavily pregnant. Besides, Kyoko needs to be taught how to help others."

"That's harsh, Kaede," Kagome said, turning to face her. "Calling her a mean nickname and making her work."

Kaede gave Kagome a stern look. "I recognize Kyoko's type. She is genuinely kind and wishes the best for others, but a lifetime of being rejected has given her fear. She is easily upset when a situation turns sour and clings to what she has. It is the reason she became pregnant. She tried to hold Inuyasha too tightly. I am teaching her to focus more on others than on herself and learn that strangling happiness is not the way to keep it." The old miko sighed. "I am not doing anything that would damage her, Kagome. I simply wish to teach."

Kagome pat Shippo's head softly. "It seems a strange way to teach."

"She wants to be coddled," Kaede said, "and she hides this desire behind false strength. I saw her argue with Inuyasha. She appeared controlling of him, when truly, all she wants is comfort. It is better that she learn to handle her own emotions before handling the emotions of her companions."

There was a long silence. Kagome thought it over, and looked into Kaede's eyes. The miko never did anything unless she had to. And, in all honesty, it was none of Kagome's business either way. "All right," she said. "I won't bother you about it. It's not why I'm here."

Kaede nodded, and the door opened. Hansha held a metal bowl filled with water. She poured it into the pot with herbs and set it on the fire automatically. The flames were extinguished, and Kaede set to starting them again.

When the water was hot and the herbs boiled within it, Kaede poured the water into a cup. It smelled bitter, and Kagome wrinkled her nose. Kaede gave the cup to Hansha, and said, "Drink." The tiger hanyou obeyed.

"Is that medicine?" Kagome asked, as Hansha finished the steaming cup.

"For the pup's health," Hansha answered. "Right, Kaede?"

"Aye." Kaede stood once more. "I must check on the villagers and ensure no youkai attack tonight." She turned to Kagome, with a smile. "Make yourself at home in the guest sleeping area. I probably will not be back until you have fallen asleep." The old miko vanished through the doorway again.

Kagome took the duty of putting out the cooking fire, after Hansha took another cup of the brew. Kagome put a lid over the pot, unsure if it should be dumped outside or saved.

The small hut Kaede owned was not much, but it did have another room next to the cooking area. Two futons were laid out. Kagome picked up Shippo, who mumbled groggily. It seemed strange for him to sleep so much in one day, but perhaps he was as stressed as Kagome. She knew he worried about her, especially with everything going on recently.

Kagome opened the wall closet with Shippo in one arm, pulling out another futon and laying it beside the first two. Hansha leaned in the doorway, rubbing her stomach again.

"We should eat dinner," she said, as Kagome laid her son down to sleep.

"Oh." Kagome paused, and chuckled to herself. "I've been so worked up, I forgot about eating." She looked up. "Is there anything in the hut, Hansha?" The name still felt strange to say, knowing why Kaede used it, but Kagome was secretly glad to have something to call the tiger hanyou that didn't sound so similar.

Hansha glanced at the other room. "Some cooked fish and bread, I think, if you'd like it. The fire might take a while to start up again, if you want the fish warm."

Kagome sighed, walking into the other room. "I wish I remembered about dinner before putting it out," she mumbled, hunting until she found the compartment in the floor. The top layer had a bread box, edible plants, and a few prepared meats. Kagome could see a latch beneath the food. It most likely led to an underground storage for the winter. Kaede was more than prepared for the oncoming weather.

She grabbed the bread and some fish. The other meat wasn't cooked yet, and would take too long to make. Kagome grabbed a piece of flint and began work on setting the cooking fire again.

Hansha sat to the side, watching. "You certainly aren't delicate," she commented.

It took Kagome a moment to process what that meant, and shrugged. "I wasn't raised in this area," she said. "I'm not as dainty as the local women."

"I prefer it that way," Hansha said, as the fire caught. Kagome set the fish over it on the cooking spears, turning them slowly while they warmed. "Women who can work are tougher."

"I suppose."

Silence dragged on as Kagome prepared their dinner.

When the fish were done, they ate quietly, both minds distracted by other issues. More than anything, Kagome wanted to go to bed and stop thinking. Her thoughts were plagued with questions, about how she really felt for Sesshomaru.

Kagome knew how she felt. She repeated this in her mind over and over as she ate. _**But it is not true, is it?**_

She nearly choked, causing Hansha to look up in alarm. "I'm fine," Kagome said, swallowing the bit of fish before it went into her lungs. _What do you want?_ Kagome hissed mentally.

_**I'm trying to help,**_ her inner youkai purred innocently.

_You're never much help,_ Kagome thought, biting her fish. Suddenly it tasted much less appetizing.

_**Of course I am, **_the inner youkai spat back. _**I'm your other half, the emotions you deny, the powers you have yet to unlock. If you would only give me a chance, I can help you untangle this mess with Sesshomaru. **_

_No way!_ Kagome held back a growl, finishing her dinner and storming to bed. Hansha raised an eyebrow, and continued to eat silently.

Kagome pulled back the covers of her futon, nestling in with Shippo. Her head began to pound, and she knew all she wanted was sleep. She could deal with everything else in the morning.

"Mama?"

Shippo opened his eyes, rubbing the sleep away. "Are you mad?" he asked.

Kagome smiled at her son, stroking his hair. "No, sweetheart. Go back to sleep."

Shippo stared at her, his eyes more aware as the grogginess left him. "I think you should stay with Sesshomaru," he said.

That surprised her, and Kagome was too curious not to ask, "Why?"

"Because you seem happier."

She stared at Shippo, and furrowed her brow. "I don't mean to tell you you're wrong, Shippo, but this whole mating business has given me more stress than I could ever want."

The kit snuggled close to her, resting his head against her arm. "It's different now. You used to complain a lot about Inuyasha, and worry about Sango and Miroku. And you smelled unhappy most days. You don't seem to worry as much now, and your scent changed."

Kagome sighed. "I'm less worried because our friends aren't here for me to worry about. And my scent changed because I'm a youkai."

Shippo looked at her, frowning. "I'm not stupid, Mama. You would worry just as much about me and Rin as you did about our friends if you still felt as bad. And I can smell things in your scent besides your species." He touched his nose. "I'm a fox, I've got a great sense of smell. I knew how unhappy you were just by being around you. You're still stressed and worried, but . . . not so much, anymore."

Kagome tilted her head, questioning. "And that's due to Sesshomaru?"

Shippo nodded with confidence. "I noticed it a few days after we arrived at the castle. I think you were getting used to being around him. And now that we're away . . ." He paused, and said, "Your scent is starting to get stressed and worried again. I don't like it."

They sat in the futon for a long time, looking at each other. Kagome heard Hansha moving in the next room. The tiger youkai came in and settled on her bed, pulling the covers up. Kagome waited until she could hear slow, even breathing.

"There are a lot of reasons for me to be worried," Kagome said, when she knew Hansha was asleep. "And I will go back to Sesshomaru. I just need some space right now. I want to learn some control over my powers."

Shippo frowned again, and sighed. "All right, Mama."

Kagome smiled, and kissed his forehead. "Go to sleep, Shippo."

The fox kit did as he was told, snuggling with her and closing his eyes. Kagome wrapped her arms around him.

Tomorrow, she could figure everything out.

()

Hi, everyone. Mattaki here. The update is a little late, I've been super busy with school.

So, in this chapter we interact with Kaede and Kyoko a bit more, and I've given Kyoko a nickname to make things a bit less confusing! I swear, I'm terrible with character names. Anyway, that's it for this chapter. Next should be up around November 17th, which is when my Thanksgiving Break starts (thank goodness!).

I hope you all enjoyed this. Thank you very much for reading! Please review! Let me know what you think, I would love to hear it!

Ja ne~


	34. The Revelation

-Barely in time for Saturday, here it is! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter-

The morning was bright and cheerful. Kagome woke quickly, still holding her son. Kyoko was gone, but Kagome could smell her by the cooking fire. Kaede was there as well.

Kagome sat up, adjusting her training outfit. She never had time to change back after yesterday's events, but the clothes were loose and comfortable to allow full body movement. She pushed aside the flap separating the two rooms, and smiled at the women making breakfast.

"Hello!" Kagome sat, brushing her hair back.

"Good morning, Kagome." Kaede smiled, and handed her a plate. "We are having boiled potatoes this morning."

"They look good!" Kyoko smiled as well, and Kagome had to remind herself to call Kyoko by her nickname, for both convenience and because Kaede seemed to insist on it.

"They smell delicious," Kagome said, leaning over the pot. The aroma of vegetables and spices wafted in the air, and she sighed. Despite the full dinner last night, her stomach growled.

The door flap pushed back again, and Shippo came out rubbing his eyes. "G' morning," he muttered, sitting sleepily by his mother. The smell of food hit him, and his stomach growled with Kagome's. "That smells really good," he said, perking immediately.

Kagome laughed, rubbing his head. "Yes, it does. You fell asleep before dinner last night, so eat as much as you want."

Shippo nodded, licking his lips as the food cooked. It was only a few more minutes before the preparation was ready, and the potatoes were piled onto everyone's plates. Shippo dug in, tail wagging appreciatively.

They ate and made small talk, the vegetables consumed quickly. As the sun rose, the wind picked up. The temperature was beginning to drop, as expected for autumn. Most of the leaves that would, had turned color, and the remaining fell from the branches.

The villagers would work tirelessly to bring in crops and meat to prepare for winter. Edo was a trade center, and thrived during the busy months. Winter was never much of a hardship, compared to smaller villages with less resources.

Kaede set her plate down, and turned to Kagome.

"Have you thought any more about your situation?"

Kagome groaned internally at the thought of discussing this further.

Truth be told, she had a nightmare about the entire thing, which was unlike her. The last time she had a nightmare was when she first came to the past, and the newness of youkai and Naraku frightened her.

Last night, she dreamed of Sesshomaru. At first it appeared a fantasy, the daiyoukai acting kind and comforting. Just when Kagome settled with him, talking casually to the dream figure of inconsequential things, he turned on her with gleaming fangs and pierced her neck.

She shuddered at the memory, waking up in the middle of the night with panic. Kagome was relieved to wake peacefully to a wonderful breakfast, instead of youkai teeth. She faced Kaede, and said, "I thought about it, some."

Kaede gave her a long look, and sighed. "Kagome, I will not be training you until I am sure that you will return to Sesshomaru without obligation." As she spoke, she stood slowly. "I have duties to attend to. The villagers need help preparing for the cold season. If you make up your mind, I will assist you." She pushed back the front door. "I will return soon."

Kagome bit her lip. The kind old miko was being strict with her, not unusual. She brushed her hair from her eyes, feeling the mark on her forehead.

"You did not decide yet?" Hansha looked up from the potatoes she was sealing away in a sturdy cloth for later. "I thought our discussion last night helped."

"It did," Kagome said. Shippo sensed an uncomfortable conversation, and dashed to the other room to hide. Kagome chuckled quietly, and continued, "Kaede knows how I feel better than I do, I think."

"So, you still do not want to return to Sesshomaru with an open heart?"

Kagome shook her head. "I do want to." She thought of the nightmare, and shuddered. "I'm still afraid, of how to deal with the situation, and my own feelings." Kagome paused, and sighed. "But I'm tired of wallowing in self pity. If Kaede thinks I'm not willing to return and won't train me, then the least I can do is train myself."

Hansha watched her pick up her bow and quiver, and stalk outside. Shippo peeked out from behind the door, and did not move.

The cold bit into Kagome the moment she stepped outside. She had not realized hot much air the door flap actually kept out. The wind tossed leaves back and forth, occasionally howling. The warm streak they went through only days ago was clearly over.

Settling the weapons on her body, Kagome searched for an area that was open and empty. Kaede's hut sat on one edge of the village. Kagome walked in the opposite direction of it, keeping to the road that wound around the fields, where farmers worked to finish the harvest.

It was some time until the fields fell away, at the slow pace Kagome walked. However, she did not care to walk any faster. When they were a fair distance behind her, and Kagome felt sure she could practice without endangering lives, she stopped. The road stretched for miles ahead, an obvious trading route to those who wished to use it.

Kagome took a deep breath. She needed a long moment to think things through. Yes, she wanted to return to Sesshomaru. No, she was not sure if she would return out of obligation, or because she genuinely wanted to return to him. But, for now, Kagome wanted nothing more than to deal with herself.

She placed her hands together, thinking of the spell that hurt Sesshomaru's citizens. A concentration of energy that was meant to dispel harmful energy, and preserve the peaceful. The problem had to lie with Kagome's ability to distinguish the two.

After a moment's focus, Kagome could feel the energy flowing through her. She eyed the ground, and saw a circle of blue light surrounding her feet, creating a field around her. Kagome took a tentative step forward. The light moved with her, retaining the same distance from her body. Kagome jumped, and the light flew in the air around her.

It stayed with her no matter where she moved. The energy would not leave Kagome unless she chose for it to do so. Good. Kagome stilled herself again, watching her power manifested. It wavered back and forth, the circle appearing to rotate. Kagome bent down, watching the circle expand to contain the increased circumference of her body relative to the ground.

It moved as though it had a mind of its own. Kagome tried to touch it, and the circle expanded further. It would not grow upwards, but would stay the same distance from the closest part of her body. Kagome stood again, and the energy circle shrunk in diameter around her feet.

Kagome looked toward the human village, able to see farmers working tirelessly in the fields. The blue light would not harm them, should Kagome send the beam outward.

She thought of what she knew about miko energy. Energy manifested in physical form, that clashed with youkai energy because it originated in humans. Two species that could interbreed, whose powers landed on the opposite ends of an invisible spectrum.

But Kagome _was_ a youkai now. Even if she retained her miko powers, they no longer came from a human body, they came from a youkai. Each cell in her body held two powers that fought instinctively.

Perhaps that was why the spell failed. It was only a slightly more powerful version of Kagome's usual purification spell. If her youkai body resisted her miko abilities, it might explain why it was harder for Kagome to control, even if she thought the spell was going to work.

She closed her eyes again, thinking of what she wanted the energy field to do. Kagome thought of pushing it out, slowly, not letting it escape what she wanted. It did as she wished, moving out, increasing its diameter. Kagome pushed it out further, increasing the distance.

When the edge was five feet away from her, Kagome noticed the edge of the circle wavering. She narrowed her eyes, pushing the edge further. It wavered again, and bent inward. The shape was no longer stable.

_Oh. _Kagome blinked, and drew the circle back. It recovered the firm circular form immediately. She pushed it away again, and the edges bent in curves, turning into more of a blob shape, than a circle. Kagome took a deep breath, and pulled it back. The circle withdrew, until it hit her feet and vanished entirely.

Unlike her usual purification, which Kagome spread through her arrows, the energy field required a certain proximity to her body to remain well controlled. Kagome eyed the ground around her, now bare of anything but dirt. If it grew unstable when far from her body, it was no surprise that it harmed the villagers, when Kagome put all her focus in keeping them safe.

Perhaps she sent out the energy quickly enough that the distance had not severely affected the spell, or maybe there was only a certain amount of control to lose on the spell, but either way, Kagome was glad she had not harmed the villagers past burning their skin. If she lost complete control, she could have killed them, along with the miasma.

If Kagome wanted to use this attack in the future, she had to stabilize the energy while she pushed it away. That would no doubt take practice.

And more expertise with miko abilities than Kagome had. She needed Kaede's help, if she wanted to avoid making the same mistakes. Kagome sighed, and ran a hand through her hair. Kaede would not help until she was convinced Kagome wanted to return to Sesshomaru when the training ended.

Kagome still wasn't sure. But, now that she knew the source of her mistake, Kagome could spend the day trying to figure it out.

()

It had been an entire day.

An entire day since Kagome left, in an angered huff, with her adopted son. Sesshomaru refrained from clenching his teeth at the thought.

He assumed Kagome would be gone a few hours, and return, calm and aware of her mistake in blaming him. When day turned to night, and she did not appear, Sesshomaru grew agitated. And when night turned to morning, Rin began the incessant questioning.

"What happened, Lord Sesshomaru? Why isn't Kagome-neechan back? Why don't you go after her? Where are we going? What if Kagome can't find us?"

The same barrage of questions every hour or so, with the same answer from Sesshomaru. "It does not concern you, Rin."

Jaken pulled Ah-Un, with Rin and Hatori seated upon him. Without Kagome, Sesshomaru felt tempted to abandon the hanyou child. However, he was sure she would return, and be more infuriated if Hatori was missing.

As the day wore on, and no sign or scent of Kagome could be detected, Sesshomaru grew more agitated. If she wanted to come back, she could easily backtrack her path and follow their scent through the forests. He didn't worry about her finding them.

If she stayed away much longer, Sesshomaru might have to fetch her himself, which he did not care to do. It was counterproductive to their travels. But Lord Rei would not excuse meeting Sesshomaru without his mate. News of Kagome traveled to the other lords easily. To meet with the Lord of the East while Kagome was missing was practically an insult.

It would be better for Kagome to come back willingly.

Sesshomaru almost growled again. It was more difficult to control his actions with each passing minute, as the desire to bring Kagome back and inform her of her mistake in leaving grew stronger.

_**She made no mistake. **_Sesshomaru's inner youkai cut into his mind like a knife.

He ignored it for as long as he could, but the voice continued to pester him. They walked slowly, toward the East, to Lord Rei's home, as the inner youkai grew louder in Sesshomaru's mind.

_**Kagome went to perfect the spell!**_ The inner youkai seethed at Sesshomaru. _**She is trying her best, and if you wish to go back to her, stop this farce-**_

Sesshomaru snarled, out loud, startling his companions.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken asked, his head tilting in confusion.

The daiyoukai paused, and said, "Make camp here."

Jaken quirked an eyebrow. "Lord Sesshomaru, it is barely noon, we can travel much further-"

"Make camp here," Sesshomaru repeated, facing the imp. "I must retrieve Kagome."

Hearing this, Rin and Hatori both beamed. "She's coming back?" Rin asked, leaning forward on Ah-Un. "You're going to get her?"

Sesshomaru turned to her, and nodded. "It has been too long, and she outran her chance to come back on her own. We will arrive at Lord Rei's castle within a few days, and Kagome must be with us when that happens. It is an insult not to have one's mate when arriving at another lord's home."

"But my lord!" Jaken yanked Ah-Un's reins in panic. "If you go back for Kagome, it will delay at least another day! I say we let her see the error of her ways!"

Glaring at him, Sesshomaru said, "She will be taught her mistake upon returning. Now, make camp."

With that, he vanished, the ground flashing beneath Sesshomaru's feet.

_**She did nothing wrong,**_ his youkai said. _**Kagome apologized and asked to be taught about her powers to avoid the same mistake. She had every right to leave. **_

_I know_, Sesshomaru thought, sighing to himself.

In truth, he was no longer angry about the village. After Kagome left, he realized that she did nothing wrong, and he should be grateful for her destruction of the miasma. But his frustration with her abandonment kept the anger and blame seething at the forefront of his mind.

And if Sesshomaru were truly honest with himself, he wanted Kagome back.

Even for only one day, the separation was longer than they had since Kagome joined their group with her son. She wanted to find common elements between them, she took the meaning of the Hana no Shukumei to heart. Kagome was trying to make this work.

Sesshomaru wanted it to work. He wanted to acknowledge the feelings he had. He knew he wanted to protect Kagome, and no longer cared if his mating was seen as a weakness. But to himself, he still denied what he wanted.

Not having Kagome make their meals, or tuck the children into bed with a blanket, or wake them when it was time to leave in the morning, felt strange and unpleasant. For only a day, her absence was missed. Sesshomaru nearly bit his tongue at the thought.

If he continued to deny himself, he would surely go insane.

The forest swerved around his body, as Sesshomaru ran through their path. After a few more minutes, he leaped in the air, and summoned the cloud beneath his feet. Traveling the sky would be faster, though Kagome's scent would be less clear from a distance.

Sesshomaru did not know what he would do when he found Kagome. Part of him knew he wanted her back, and that refusing the feeling would hinder his progress in the Mating Dance. The other part of him hated knowing he was growing close to a former human miko.

()

The village came into view that evening later.

A few days of walking, with the added distance of Kagome's travels, might have taken longer on the ground, and Sesshomaru was glad he chose air travel. When he saw it, Kagome scent settling in the area, he descended.

His mind twitched, between wanting to admonish Kagome for everything she did, and wanting to pull her to his arms. This desire made him growl again. The thought of being physically intimate upon seeing his future mate cropped into his mind several hours after he began the journey, and would not leave. Sesshomaru did not show affection. It was not in his nature.

His presence in the village was surprising, but not exceedingly so, as Sesshomaru gathered by the reactions of the villagers. His idiot half-brother must have made them used to seeing inu youkai. When he crossed the threshold between the road and the town, Sesshomaru felt a power. It took a moment to realize it was a shield, hidden and designed to harm youkai. Sesshomaru passed through without trouble.

There was little fanfare at his passing the force over the village, though some of the humans stared and whispered. As he was not harming anything, they must have little concern for him. Either Sesshomaru was too powerful to be stopped by the methods obviously placed by a miko to protect the villagers, or the shield did not harm certain youkai.

Kagome's scent led in a single path, around the houses, to the other edge of the village. Sesshomaru followed calmly, while he struggled in his own mind.

_**If you want her back and you feel the need to be affectionate, go ahead!**_ Sesshomaru's other side delighted in his wish to see Kagome, as unreal and new it was to the daiyoukai. Sesshomaru growled. _**You've been affectionate before.**_

The occasion popped into his mind immediately. Sesshomaru told Kagome of his determination to participate in the Mating Dance, which he meant completely, and he held her hand for a few brief moments, before they returned to camp.

It was a spontaneous action, and even Sesshomaru was unsure as to why he did it. He remembered the feeling of her skin, soft against his calloused fingers, despite her involvement with youkai and Naraku. The single most intimate act they had yet to engage in.

As Sesshomaru wound through the village and arrived at Kaede's hut, the simple touch remained prominent in his mind. However, all thoughts vanished when he opened the door to an old hut and encountered the tiger hanyou.

She hummed as she cleaned a pot, and waved when he appeared. Utterly placid about Sesshomaru's presence, the woman looked up with a smile. "Lord Sesshomaru!" she said. "How nice to see you again. Kagome isn't here at the moment."

He repressed the urge to bare his teeth. The woman carrying his brother's whelp should cower in fear like the rest of his subjects. Nevertheless, Sesshomaru simply said, "Mind your place, tiger. Tell me where she is."

"Sesshomaru?"

Shippo's head peeked out from the second room, a wooden cup in his hand. Attached to the cup was a string and a red ball. Sesshomaru recognized it as a toy from Kagome. The fox kit's eyes widened at the sight of the daiyoukai, and he stepped into the front room. "I didn't think you'd be here."

"Fox," Sesshomaru said. "Where is Kagome?"

Shippo shrugged. "Mama went out. I think she's practicing her powers." Shippo's hand went to the string, fiddling with it. "She wanted Kaede to help her, but Kaede said she wouldn't unless she knew Mama was gonna go back to you." His head bowed a bit.

"She did not intend to return?" His lips pulled back a millimeter, before Sesshomaru subdued the urge to growl yet again.

Shippo looked up with a frown. "Of course she was gonna come back," he said, as if it were obvious. "But Kaede said something about Kagome not actually wanting to go back."

She didn't want to go back? The growl could not be held back this time, and Sesshomaru left the ramshackle hut. It took a moment to find Kagome's scent leading from the building, and when he did, Sesshomaru ran alongside it.

It led to the outskirts of the village, past the fields being worked before winter, along a trade route. When the fields were behind him, and the hills ahead, Sesshomaru saw the tall, sleek form of the young miko, surrounded by a circle of blue energy.

Sesshomaru slowed, and stopped. A hundred feet from her, Kagome had not noticed him. She faced away, her eyes locked on the blue strip running the ground, forming a perfect sphere at her toes. Watching carefully, Sesshomaru could see that it moved, ebbed away from her and lost shape, before drawing back and reforming.

Sesshomaru thought again of the fox's words, and of the desire to have Kagome back, and ran toward her.

()

Kagome had blocked out the entire world, save for the energy field in front of her. She could not detect anything else, and felt she would be safe enough within view of the village to let her guard down.

She didn't realize how shut down her senses truly were, until she snapped out of the trance, barely in time to see the inu daiyoukai headed toward her.

Kagome registered the form as Sesshomaru, moments before a hand clasped her wrist, her body was yanked forward, and foreign lips crashed onto her own.

The suddenness made her panic, and Kagome instinctively pulled away. The grip around her waist and arm tightened, the lips never leaving. Sesshomaru pulled away only a moment, giving Kagome the chance to breath, before he kissed her again and Kagome lost any connections her mind could have made.

They stayed that way a minute longer, Sesshomaru kissing her with more power and force he could have hoped to demonstrate with his claws. When they parted, they both breathed deeply, and stared.

Kagome managed to gather her composure, and soon blushed, when her brain caught up to her body. "I-, what-, you-," she sputtered, looking at Sesshomaru, bewildered. "S- Sesshomaru?" Kagome managed. She could feel her body shaking slightly, and worked to stop it while she waited for Sesshomaru to say anything.

The daiyoukai gazed at her a long, unwavering moment. Finally, he spoke. "You will not leave me, Kagome."


	35. The Feeling

Stunned silence filled the space between the inus. Kagome touched her lips, her brow furrowing. Sesshomaru kissed her.

She glanced up, searching for any sort of explanation. Sesshomaru stared back. "Why?" Kagome bit her lip, tasting a difference, and she shivered. "I mean . . ." Words failed her.

Tired of her stuttering, Sesshomaru said again, "I do not want you to leave, Kagome. If the physical expression of such is not enough to make that clear to you, I fear nothing will."

Kagome took the words in, and frowned. "You told me you weren't a physical person. And all of the sudden you kiss me?" She paused, and sighed. "These mixed signals are not helping, Sesshomaru."

He frowned as well, and said with a dark tone, "You wanted me to express my feelings."

Kagome opened her mouth to say something, and stopped. She could still feel her lips tingling. Sesshomaru found her and went so far as to kiss her. She thought he would remain stubborn and ignore her until she came back. Kagome initiated everything between them so far.

To know that he cared enough to reverse the situation . . .

And it wasn't as if Sesshomaru was doing this simply to please her, or placate her. He was not that type of youkai. If he did or said anything, he meant it.

Kagome looked him in the eye. "You care about me, right?"

Sesshomaru eyed her suspiciously, and nodded. "I have stated as much."

Biting her lip, and tasting him there again, Kagome asked, "And you kissed me because . . . you feel a romantic attraction toward me?"

This made the daiyoukai pause, and look away. Kagome waited, shifting on her feet, for an answer. After a moment, he turned back to her, and said, "I have little experience with love. But, I am aware of lust and what it feels like. I did not kiss you as a result of this feeling." He paused again, and said, "I did so because I care for you, and wish you to remain by my side."

Before she could stop herself, Kagome said, "Would you be averse to kissing me again?"

And an even longer pause ensued. Kagome gulped as the silence encroached on them, Sesshomaru turning away once more to ponder.

The kiss had been an impulse decision. The moment he saw her, Sesshomaru felt his inner youkai push him toward it. His rational mind would never commit such an act without carefully weighing the consequences.

And yet. He remembered the feeling of the kiss, the ghost of her taste still present. He kissed women. When the heat hit the females and his lust reared its head, he ravished the noblewomen until they were not fit for court. But that side was hidden, something he dared not mention to anyone. And kissing was not something he considered doing outside of the heat.

Kagome clearly wanted to try it again. That much was obvious from her tone and body language. Any decent woman of this age would not have kissed a man willingly without a marriage, but he would bet Kagome, with her strange homeland, had kissed men before. The thought made him want to growl.

Did he want to kiss her again? Sesshomaru faced her, looking into the blue eyes. What he felt for her could not be love, not after such a short time. Perhaps, though, he could stand to give her more affection. The kiss was pleasant, that much could be said.

With a quick motion, he grabbed her waist, and planted another kiss on her lips. Kagome yelped, the sound muffled between their lips. Sesshomaru drew back, and cupped her face. "I am unused to kissing for the sake of emotion," he said, and tightened his fingers. "I believe I could grow to enjoy it."

Kagome blushed furiously, and pushed away, but the daiyoukai's arms held her tight. "S-Sesshomaru," she said, staring at his chest because she didn't dare look him in the eyes. "Warn me next time." Her heart pounded so hard, Kagome thought it might burst from her chest.

"Very well." His grip loosened, and Sesshomaru released her. "If all is forgiven, I suggest we return to our path. Lord Rei will be waiting for our arrival."

Still flushed, Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Lord Rei?"

"We need to discuss the situation concerning Naraku, with the other rulers." The thought made Sesshomaru think of their group, Rin and Hatori with Jaken and Ah-Un. "You will need to be introduced to the other lords as well, and this will be a well enough time for it."

"All right." Kagome touched her hair, running her fingers through it. She understood what Sesshomaru said, but her mind refused to move from the kiss. Such willingness from the stoic youkai was a shock.

Sesshomaru turned to leave. Kagome hesitated, and began to follow. As her mind cleared, and the meaning behind his words sunk in, she stopped, and said, "Wait."

The daiyoukai looked at her. "Yes?"

"I haven't told Kaede anything about this. She promised to train me with my powers." Not exactly the truth, but Kagome wouldn't leave the miko without so much as a word. "I don't want to leave before she's shown me anything."

Sesshomaru frowned, remembering the kit's words. The elder miko had not promised to teach Kagome, until she felt the need to return to Sesshomaru. But the tone of her voice spoke honesty. Kagome truly believed the elder would teach her. "Kagome, I recognize that your were upset about what happened with the village." Sesshomaru chose his words carefully. "However, the priority is handling the situation with Naraku."

"I'm not upset about the village," Kagome said with a huff. "I'm upset about the way you treated me afterward. And I need someone to teach me about my powers. Kaede is the one I trust to do that."

"I am able to teach you," Sesshomaru said. It felt almost typical, that returning with Kagome was not as simple as he hoped.

"Not about my miko abilities," Kagome countered. "I at least want to discuss this with Kaede." At Sesshomaru's frown, she added, "I understand the importance of destroying Naraku and taking steps toward that. But I need to be able to control my powers." She moved in front of him, and walked with intent down the path to the village.

Sesshomaru bared his teeth, and mentally sighed. Even flustered at his change in attitude, Kagome was stubborn. He followed, if only to make bringing her back easier.

A new scent filled the hut Sesshomaru had been to, though it was familiar. The scent of the old miko, coating the residence but stronger now that the woman returned. Along with it was the smell of the hanyou and Shippo.

Kagome pushed open the entrance, calling, "Hello, Kaede!"

Sesshomaru saw the elder through the door before opening it himself. His presence did not seem to disturb her, as she opened her arms to hug Kagome. "It is good to see you after a long day, child. I can tell you have been using your powers."

The words sounded strange, and Kagome tried to smile. "Ah, yes, I was practicing outside the village. I suppose you know who came to visit." Kagome turned, surprised to see Sesshomaru inside the hut rather than waiting outside.

"Mama, are we going back?" Shippo sat on the floor, eating stew with Hansha.

She touched Shippo lightly on the head. "We have to, I think. Lord Rei is waiting for us, to speak about the trouble with Naraku."

"And what about the training you wished to receive?" Hansha had spoken from her corner of the room.

Kagome glanced at Sesshomaru. He showed no emotion, but his fingers flexed. "If you feel I can be trained Kaede, I would like to do so." She bit her lip. "Naraku is the priority now, though. I've been able to grasp a few things about my powers on my own, so I should be all right."

Kaede raised an eyebrow. Kagome's vehemence to learn from her had not faded, but she kept exchanging glances with the daiyoukai. "Are you returning willingly, Kagome?"

Sesshomaru turned to the elder. Quite a rude question, considering he stood feet from her. Kaede gave him a look with her singular eye, no trace of fear in her face.

"Yes, of course," Kagome said. "We have to catch Naraku at any cost."

Kaede frowned at her, and turned to Sesshomaru again. "Lord Sesshomaru, how do you feel?"

"I agree with Kagome," Sesshomaru said quickly, though he wished he could treat her the same way he treated all humans. Kagome would surely abandon him again if he did so.

"I did not ask how you felt about Naraku," Kaede chastised. "If you allowed me to finish, you would have heard me ask, how do you feel about Kagome?"

Shippo visibly tensed, though the hanyou continued to eat obliviously. Sesshomaru looked at Kagome, who stared back.

Another rude question from the elder. Sesshomaru could refuse to answer and insist on leaving. Kagome would return with him. She knew catching Naraku was important. On the other hand . . .

"I care for Kagome," he said, deciding to answer honestly. "It is better for me to have her near."

Kagome eyes went wide. It was one thing to admit how he felt to her, which was an enormous step for the daiyoukai by itself. It was another entirely to say this to other people.

"And how do you feel, Kagome?" Kaede turned to her.

Kagome looked at Sesshomaru, searching his eyes. "I care about him as well," she said, unsure herself how much she meant it. "I didn't want to leave, really. It's just . . ."

Kaede gave her a soft smile. "I understand, child."

They stood for a long moment, no words between them. Kagome gulped, clenching her fingers. She didn't know what Kaede wanted to hear from her. "I wish we could have done something," Kagome finally said. "I didn't mean to come here and bother you for nothing."

"That is no concern to me," Kaede said, reaching up to ruffle Kagome's hair. Kagome giggled a bit, and smiled. "Child," Kaede said. "I enjoy your company, no matter what. And you said it yourself. You can learn about your powers on your own. Naraku is the priority." She looked at Sesshomaru. "As long as Lord Sesshomaru takes care of you, it matters not to me when and why you visit."

"Do not doubt my ability to care for my mate," Sesshomaru said, an edge to his voice.

"Never," Kaede answered. "If you wish to go, Kagome, that is fine with me. It was lovely to see you." She gave her another hug. Kagome returned it, still wishing she could have accomplished more while she was here.

"So we're going back?" Shippo dared to ask, finished with his meal. "Back to Rin and Hatori?"

"Yes." Kagome stepped closer to Sesshomaru. "Back to our family."

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. Kagome smiled at him, sure to keep her distance. He frowned, and reached out, wrapping an arm around her waist. Kagome squealed, and braced herself against his chest as Sesshomaru pulled her to him.

"Back to our family," Sesshomaru repeated quietly. Shippo stared at them for a moment, before breaking into a grin.

()

Kyoko felt a chill in the house after they left. The trio were a change in routine, and she'd hoped they would stay longer than one night. Even the emotionless Lord Sesshomaru was interesting. Though, Kyoko thought, crooking her lips in a smirk, he did not appear so emotionless anymore. All the stories depicted him as a violent killer. All Kyoko saw of him in person was an admittedly strong youkai who cared for his mate.

And Kagome seemed to care for him as well. This was reassuring, considering her worries about returning with him. Whatever happened between them must have resolved their current issues. Kyoko sighed, putting away the dishes from dinner. Kaede insist they stay long enough to eat, and so Kagome had dinner with them before departing. Lord Sesshomaru refused to eat.

Thinking of the future mates, Kyoko touched her own stomach. The pup could not be felt just yet, but there was a firmness to her belly. Soon it would grow. If only Inuyasha were here to experience this with her.

She still felt awful about the situation. As much as Kyoko wanted Inuyasha with her, wished they could be true lovers the way she dreamed of when she was young, Kaede constantly reminded her that Kyoko had to see the reality. They bred when Kyoko was in heat. There was no emotional attachment.

The least Kyoko could hope for was that they remained friends. It would be difficult to care for a pup if Inuyasha resented her. As she finished cleaning up from the meal, Kyoko wished again that Inuyasha were here.

"You are deep in thought, Hansha."

The tiger hanyou looked up at the sound of her new nickname. Kaede was mixing herbs, crushing them under smooth stone to use as medicine. "Yes," Kyoko answered. No one could deny the truth from Kaede.

"If it is about Inuyasha again, I offer my advice that clinging to him will not bring what you desire." The elder miko stared at her with her single eye, that Kyoko felt could pierce someone's soul if Kaede wished.

"I know," Kyoko said, having heard the same advice multiple times. "I'm trying not to, but every time I think about the pup . . ." She trailed off, touching her stomach again.

"It is natural to worry for the pup," Kaede said. "But you are mostly worried for yourself. If you pine for someone's attentions too long, it can break your heart beyond repair. Kagome is an example of that."

"Is she?" Kyoko's ears perked. "I thought she was only with Sesshomaru recently."

Kaede shook her head, and said, "Kagome pined after Inuyasha for many years. Did he not tell you of his troubles with women?"

Kyoko remembered that day all too well. She brought Inuyasha sake as a thank you for helping her hunt, and they got hopelessly drunk together. Inuyasha spilled everything about his love life. "Yes," Kyoko said, nodding. "But Kagome said nothing of it. I only know Inuyasha's side of the story."

Kaede paused in her work, and swiped some of the herbs with her thumb, tasting it. "A bitter tale," she muttered. Louder, she said, "Kagome fell in love for the first time at fifteen, and watched Inuyasha obsess over my sister, a woman dead long ago, for nearly three years. It it were simply unrequited, that would have simplified things. But Inuyasha loved Kagome as well, and could not come to terms with it because she resembles my sister so well. He knew not if her loved Kagome as herself, or as my sister's reincarnation. He struggled with it, and Kagome struggled beside him."

Kyoko's ears lowered at the thought. Inuyasha said he loved a woman who had passed on, but he never mentioned Kagome was the woman's reincarnation. No wonder he had issues with Kagome.

"It took the Hana no Shukumei, the flower of the gods, to separate Kagome from Inuyasha and help her on the path to realizing her true love," Kaede said, resuming her work with the herbs. "Hansha, that plant is one of the rarest discoveries of this land. The last one found was by Inuyasha's mother, more than two centuries ago. You cannot rely on an outside force such as that to lead you in the right direction."

The true lesson of the story sunk in, and Kyoko twisted her fingers together. Kaede was doing her best to teach her while Kyoko stayed here. Kyoko knew this, but moving on from this was something she wasn't sure she could do.

"I know that," Kyoko said, after a long moment. "I want to be strong enough to care for myself, Kaede." She twisted her fingers around again. "For now, I also want Inuyasha with me. The pup depends on him."

Kaede shrugged, and she collected the ground herbs into the glass canister beside her. "You need not move on from anything, Hansha. I simply warn you that an obsession can be hurtful to both parties involved."

As the old miko moved to put away the herbs, Kyoko rubbed the feline ears on her head. They resembled Inuyasha's, with a slightly different shape. Another indication of the one thing they had in common, a split blood line that separated them from most other people.

Kyoko wanted someone to understand her. Inuyasha seemed to do that, at first.

Maybe she was being immature about it. Kyoko thought back to her discussion with Kagome, how she wanted Sesshomaru to treat her like a grown woman and not chastise her when she knew she made a mistake.

Kyoko stood, and moved to the bedroom to prepare herself to sleep. She wanted to be treated as a grown woman. Every female wanted that, even in the patriarchal society. Perhaps she could be treated that way, instead of like the child Kaede seemed to think she was. But a few changes needed to be made.

Looking into a small mirror, Kyoko brushed the hair from her eyes. Pining over Inuyasha like a fifteen year old miko would do her no good. It was time to make a difference in her life.

()

They made it back to the camp by nightfall.

It was late, and Shippo thought he would fall asleep any minute. He rarely needed to go to bed as early as he had when first traveling with his mother, but the stress as of late wore him down. He yawned for a third time.

The trees parted, and a small clearing came into view. Shippo jumped from Kagome's back to walk the rest of the way. They decided that running at inu speed would be the fastest way to get back. If he walked the rest of the way, Shippo knew he could at least stay alert enough to say hello to Rin and Hatori.

They sat around a low fire, Jaken tending to Ah-Un with some grain, Rin and Hatori talking animatedly with each other. Upon hearing them, all five heads turned, and the children burst into smiles.

"Kagome-neechan!" Rin ran forward to hug her, giggling.

"Hi, Rin." Kagome held her close and stroked her hair. "It's nice to see you again."

"We thought you might not come back," Rin said, pulling away to look at her. "Sesshomaru got worried after you were gone for a whole day."

"Speak for your own emotions, Rin," Sesshomaru said, passing them to sit against a tree at the far end of the resting site. Rin merely laughed again.

"Hi, Rin." Shippo yawned again, and braced himself as Rin tackled him.

"Welcome back, Shippo!" She rubbed her face against his neck, and Shippo felt his face turning red. The short fox was barely Rin's height, and her strangle hold made him feel smaller.

"Welcome back." Shippo looked up from Rin's grasp as Hatori spoke, standing a few feet away. Rin released him, and he waved. Hatori gave a gentle smile. The quiet neko never spoke as much as Rin, but was clearly happy at the restoration of the odd group.

"Let's get to bed," Kagome said, ruffling Hatori's hair. He chuckled and patted his hair down, watching Kagome settle by the fire. The children followed, all three leaning against Ah-Un's protective stomach.

"My lord," Jaken said, turning and bowing to Sesshomaru. "If we hurry in the morning, I believe it may be only a few days before we reach Lord Rei. We are almost at the edge of his domain."

"Good," was all Sesshomaru said, closing his eyes.

That seemed to be the signal to put the evening to an end. Kagome removed her heavy backpack from her shoulders, digging around until she found a blanket. She laid it on the children, whose eyelids had already fallen, snuggled against the two headed dragon.

Jaken moved to sleep alone, some distance from Ah-Un and further away from the rest of the camp. Kagome pulled a sleeping bag from her backpack, ready to lay it down. After today, learning about her powers and dealing with Sesshomaru, she was more than prepared to sleep.

"Kagome."

She looked up at Sesshomaru, sitting across the fire from her. "Come here."

Kagome glanced at the others. The children were gone the moment they laid their heads down. Jaken seemed to be asleep, but even if he heard them, Kagome didn't particularly mind. She faced Sesshomaru again, and whispered, "Why?"

"It is time to sleep."

"Uh, yes?" Kagome put her sleeping bag down and began to unzip it.

"Mates commonly sleep beside one another."

She froze, and looked at Sesshomaru again. Nothing about his expression betrayed his thoughts. After the kissing and the way he held her in Kaede's, Kagome wasn't quite sure what to expect from the daiyoukai anymore. "We aren't mates yet," she said, though she did not open her sleeping bag further.

"Did you not want me to act as if we are? You seemed pleased by my shows of affection."

Blood surged to her face. Kagome turned away to hide the blush. "I-it was nice," she admitted. "I do care for you, Sesshomaru, and I like showing affection to those I care about." Kagome paused, and looked him in the eye. "But I don't want you doing anything you don't want to do."

In response, Sesshomaru merely moved his arm, holding it to the side to open himself to Kagome. She blushed deeper, and glanced at her sleeping bag. Slowly, Kagome finished unzipping it, and refused to look at him.

Sesshomaru frowned, and lowered his arm. If Kagome refused, so be it. He could sleep alone. Sesshomaru closed his eyes, prepared to rest, when he heard Kagome coming closer.

Eyes open again, Sesshomaru saw Kagome had opened her modern sleeping cocoon, to transform it into a thick blanket. She knelt tentatively at his side, holding the blanket against her, and waited. Sesshomaru blinked, and opened himself to her again.

Kagome gave a small grin, and shifted to be underneath his arm. She spread the blanket over them both, laying her head against his side. Her heart pounded so loudly, she was sure Sesshomaru could hear it. But she did not feel uncomfortable. On the contrary, the warmth of his body calmed her.

She looked at the arm now draped over her shoulders. His left arm, the one taken by Inuyasha so many years ago. The daiyoukai had gained it back after he acquired a new weapon, a deadly sword Kagome had not seen in battle yet. She always felt guilty, Inuyasha forcing his own brother to live without a limb.

Now, with him close to her body, as she curled into Sesshomaru's embrace, Kagome smiled.

()

Hi, everyone! WOW, it's been a while. Heh. I've been busy with finals, but I think I passed everything, so I should be good. And because I'm on vacation for the next month, weekly updates are back on schedule! Wooh! We'll move back to every other week when school starts for me again. In the meantime, enjoy the story.

We've reached a milestone! Sesshomaru is no longer afraid of caring for Kagome and proving it to her. Kagome will hopefully accept this change of personality. But don't worry, our favorite daiyoukai will retain his surly demeanor. I wouldn't dare change that much about him.

Some people have commented that Kyoko/Hansha isn't a well developed character, and I admit it's true. I didn't think too hard about her when writing the previous story. She was a means to make Inuyasha happy, mostly. This time around, however, I'm trying my best to go more in depth with her. I'm still flailing a bit, but getting a better picture for who she is and why she acts the way she does.

I'll tell you now that Hatori will also be getting more attention soon. Those who read the previous story know everything about him, but I'm going to switch a few things around. That's all I'll say.

I hope you enjoyed the new chapter! I had fun writing it, especially the new dynamic between our love birds. Keep reading, and thank you so much for all your contributions with reviews and encouragement. This story is something I'm determined to finish, and it definitely helps me practice my writing. Thanks again! I'd really appreciate it if people reviewed.

Next update will be around the 29th or 30th. See you then!

Ja ne~


	36. The Lord of the East

-Sorry it's a bit late! I had New Year's stuff to do yesterday. The chapter is a bit longer than normal (two extra pages) and this is the length I hope to make the chapters as a standard. Hope you enjoy it!

()

Lord Rei drummed his fingers against his thigh, watching the door impatiently.

They should have been here by now.

The daiyoukai chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment, and stopped, reminding himself of the crude nature of such an action. He must remain patient. But the news of Lord Sesshomaru's visit came a week ago. Even with the burden of his human ward, Lord Sesshomaru would not be that slow.

Lord Rei would not care, under most circumstances. It was a well known fact that Lord Sesshomaru's father was the most powerful of the youkai lords ruling the country, and his eldest son, though inexperienced, was well on his way to earning that title for himself. He could be a few days later than expected for a meeting, especially in times like this.

But Lord Rei was _excited._

He bit his cheek again, and chastised himself. The togu before him was telling of the poison infecting crops as of late, and lack of food for the winter would kill them. Lord Rei was listening, and could parrot back each word the togu said, but part of his mind couldn't keep away from Lord Sesshomaru.

News of the Hana no Shukumei spread like wildfire through the land. The last one found over two centuries ago belonged to the Inu no Taishou's human mate. Like father like son, Lord Rei thought, when he learned that Lord Sesshomaru's mate was also a human who possessed the flower. However, learning that she was a miko transformed youkai surprised all the lords. An unheard of situation.

Lord Rei desperately wanted to meet her, and the longer it took Lord Sesshomaru to arrive, the thinner his patience wore.

". . . and we worry there may not be enough for the northern most villages," the togu said, crossing his hands politely in his lap.

Lord Rei brought himself to the present. "That is unfortunate," he said, pushing Lord Sesshomaru's mate from his mind. "I will send sentries to investigate the fields. If you do not have enough crops to survive, there is a surplus here at the castle that can be sent."

The togu brightened considerably, and bowed low. "Thank you, my lord. I speak for your subjects when I say that we are eternally grateful for your kind rule."

Lord Rei smiled. "It is my duty as Lord of the East." He waved a hand toward the door.

The togu left quickly, after spouting another thanks. Lord Rei turned his words over again. The sudden death of resources was an issue, and something to be brought up with Lord Sesshomaru. It was likely the reason the Lord of the West was coming at all.

Meeting his mate was a side benefit of such a visit.

He could not get his mind off her. Lord Rei's own mate and family were wonderful, and he hoped for the same happiness for the young inu lord. Any woman who could capture the stoic man's heart would be a sight, regardless of her youkai or human status.

"My lord!"

His head snapped up at the voice across the door. "Enter," he said calmly.

The door slid open, and a guard stepped in, bowing down. "My lord," he said again.

"Speak," Lord Rei said, almost wishing formality wasn't required from his servants. It made the process of being given messages much longer.

"Lord Sesshomaru approaches, my lord," the guard said, keeping his head down.

A grin spread across his face, and Lord Rei said, "Thank you. Send someone to meet him."

The guard hesitated, and said, "Apologies, my lord, but that will not be possible. Lord Sesshomaru and his companions approach from the sky."

Lord Rei paused, and chuckled to himself. "Very well. I will meet him myself."

The guard did not know how to respond, and bowed lower. "Yes, my lord."

"You are dismissed." Lord Rei stood, waving his hand toward the door again. The guard left quickly, and Lord Rei chuckled again. The guard must be new, if he was not used to Lord Rei's assertive nature. If Lord Sesshomaru did not come by foot, Lord Rei had no qualms meeting him in the sky.

He tightened his chest plate, and departed from the throne room. The halls were filled with youkai and humans working in tandem, each bowing before their lord as he passed. He nodded to each as he walked, preparing himself.

According to rumors, Lord Sesshomaru's mate was not any human miko turned youkai. She was the miko fighting against the threat called Naraku, a threat that had been troublesome, but not a problem, until recently. If the messenger sent to alert him of Lord Sesshomaru was correct, the youkai known as Naraku was the one poisoning the land and depriving their subjects of what they needed.

And if Lord Sesshomaru's mate was fighting against such a threat, she already had a piece of Lord Rei's favor.

Although the stories from Lord Tatsuya were a sign of trouble.

Lord Rei frowned at this. That escapade was something he did not care to repeat. Lord Sesshomaru's messengers claimed it was the fault of Lord Tatsuya, while the Lord of the South blamed it on Lord Sesshomaru's mate, and said that she tempted him with indecent behavior.

Considering Lord Tatsuya's attitude, Lord Rei was inclined to believe Lord Sesshomaru. However, he could not be entirely sure until he met this mysterious miko youkai.

()

Kagome clung tightly to Sesshomaru's side, checking behind her every few minutes. Ah-Un snorted when he saw her looking, and flicked his tail toward his back, indicating the safety of the children. They sat upon his back, each holding a piece of Ah-Un's rein, lest they slip off.

Jaken stood at Sesshomaru's feet, keeping an eye on the skies around them. Kagome turned to face forward again. Soon they would be at the castle of Lord Rei, the Lord of the East. Presumably they would be staying for at least a few days, while Sesshomaru spoke with him about the danger of Naraku and his ploy against their citizens.

Kagome glanced at the children again. She did not mind traveling to meet anyone, and it would be good to know Sesshomaru's fellow rulers. But the kids had to be tired. Shippo was exhausted after her fiasco with running to Kaede and back, and all three fell asleep a bit too quickly the night they returned. She worried the travel might not be healthy.

Especially for little Hatori. Kagome sighed as she looked at the tiny neko hanyou. He was much younger than Shippo or Rin, and probably wasn't used to traveling. As it was, his grandfather thought he was at Sesshomaru's castle and would come to get Hatori soon, if he wasn't already there waiting. Kagome promised to help them find a new place to live. The kit didn't need to be running around on Naraku's trail.

The cloud beneath their feet shifted, and Kagome clung tighter. Sesshomaru insisted on keeping her by him, though Kagome would have felt better about sitting on Ah-Un with the children. There wasn't enough room on the dragon, but Kagome couldn't help glancing back repeatedly.

She awoke by herself the morning before they set out. The lonely feeling she had surprised her, but left when she saw Sesshomaru waiting at the edge of camp. They spent a short training session working on her purification abilities before leaving for the East.

Kagome didn't think Sesshomaru could help her with miko powers, but it turned out that controlling miko powers and youkai powers had similar techniques. His instructions on patience and focusing her energy helped.

Still, she hoped she could work on her abilities as well on her own and with Sesshomaru as she thought she could with Kaede. Kagome still cringed when she thought about the village mishap.

"We have arrived."

Kagome looked up at Sesshomaru, and searched the sky ahead of them. After a moment, houses came into view on the ground below. Beyond them, a tall gate, and within that, a castle.

The castle of the East. The home of Lord Rei.

Clutching tighter to Sesshomaru, Kagome gulped. Hopefully Lord Rei was more gracious than Lord Tatsuya. It would be hard to be worse than Tatsuya, but the worry hung back in Kagome's mind.

"He will most likely meet us halfway," Sesshomaru said, keeping an eye on the buildings below.

"How so?" Kagome asked, looking where he did.

Her question was answered almost immediately. On the gate surrounding the castle, a figure could be seen leaping across the logs that made up the protective wall. It jumped from the gate, and began moving across the trees in and around the village.

As the figure moved closer, Kagome could make out its features. A male youkai, judging by the lavender hair and strong body. He wore extravagant clothing much like Sesshomaru's, dyed blue and green, with armor covering his chest and shoulders. His hair, reaching to his feet, was tied back in a large braid. His clothing, paired with the green sun emblem Kagome could just make out on his forehead, led her to realize this was Lord Rei.

As they approached what had to be the capital city around the castle, the group descended, meeting the ground at the edges of the smaller gate protecting the capital. Lord Rei leaped across building tops, until he was a hundred yards from them, and hit the ground to meet them. Kagome watched through the open gates of the city, as he ran to them with a grin.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" His voice boomed across the space between them. Several villagers near the gates looked up, but did not seem surprised.

"Lord Rei," Sesshomaru said in a calm tone, as the Lord of the East met them.

He was shorter than Sesshomaru by a few inches, but no less impressive. He had a thicker chest and limbs, with a square jaw and eyes that sparkled deep blue. He reminded Kagome of her father, full of muscle and ready to protect what was his. His braid flopped around lazily with each movement, and Lord Rei batted it back occasionally to keep it out of his way.

Realizing she still clung to Sesshomaru, Kagome blushed and quickly pulled away. Sesshomaru let her, dropping his arm from her shoulders. As the kids dismounted Ah-Un and Jaken came to Sesshomaru's other side, Lord Rei broke his gaze with Sesshomaru, and seemed to notice Kagome for the first time.

His eyes lit up. "Lord Sesshomaru, is this the mate I have heard so much about?"

"Indeed, though we are not yet mated." Sesshomaru flicked his eyes toward Kagome, and back to the Lord of the East.

"How far along is the Mating Dance?"

"Acceptance," Sesshomaru answered, and Kagome thought she heard a slight bite in his voice. The term was new, as Sesshomaru only before referred to the Mating Dance in steps.

Lord Rei quirked an eyebrow. "Only Acceptance? Have you not been together for more than a month? My mate and I were bound after three weeks."

"I am aware," Sesshomaru said. "However, we did not have a prearranged mating or any feelings toward one another before the Hana no Shukumei was found. As nothing better than acquaintances with no ties to each other, we are progressing well enough."

Lord Rei glanced between the two, and grinned. "Fair enough," he said. Turning to Kagome, he bowed, and said, "May I formally introduce myself? I am Lord Rei of the East, Taiyo daiyoukai, and more than pleased to meet you."

Kagome smiled, and bowed in response. "It's wonderful to meet you, Lord Rei. I am Kagome."

Lord Rei quirked an eyebrow. "You do not introduce yourself by title?"

"She humbles herself," Sesshomaru said, stepping in front of Kagome. "She is the future Lady of the West, inu youkai."

Lord Rei grinned again. "I have heard some dispute about that title. Shall we discuss this further inside?" He gestured toward the gate.

"Yes." Sesshomaru glanced at Kagome.

"Yes," Kagome said, nodding. She turned, gesturing Shippo to come. The fox stepped to her side, and gave her a small smile.

Lord Rei seemed to notice the children for the first time, looking at Shippo, and Hatori standing behind him, near Ah-Un. The neko hanyou flattened his ears sheepishly. Rin hooked an arm around his shoulder and gave him an encouraging hug.

"You have a few new additions," Lord Rei said, gesturing to Shippo.

"That's my son," Kagome said, ruffling his hair. Shippo smirked and pushed her hand away.

"A fox?" Lord Rei frowned. "Is he adopted, or from a previous mating?"

"Adopted," Kagome said. "He lost his parents when I met him. I took him under my care, but I didn't officially adopt him until he'd been with me for some time." She stroked his head gently.

"And the hanyou?" Lord Rei glanced at Hatori again.

"A child in need of help," Kagome said. "He came to me when his mother passed. His grandfather was supposed to meet him at the castle while we tried to help him find a new home, but we had to leave to track down Naraku. I felt bad leaving him alone to wait for his grandfather . . ."

"Lady Kagome has been very kind to me," Hatori added, his ears perking up. "I will leave with my grandfather when we return to the castle, but I enjoy staying with Lady Kagome at the moment."

Lord Rei gazed at Hatori, and looked at Shippo again. "I see. Enough lollygagging, it is time for us to go inside." He turned to enter the gate of the capital city.

Sesshomaru did not pause to follow. Kagome hesitated, petting Shippo's head again, before walking behind him. The kids trailed next to Ah-Un, with Jaken beside them.

"Has there been news of Naraku since I sent word of my visit?" Sesshomaru asked, falling in line beside Lord Rei.

"Unfortunately." Lord Rei frowned. "I believe he is behind the recent poisoning of my land. However, I provided a temporary solution to the situation, and my priority is getting to know your mate." He glanced behind them, at Kagome, who tried to smile at him. "There are many rumors surrounding her, and I wish to discover which is true."

"Very well." Sesshomaru did not care to go over everything he already knew about Kagome, but Lord Rei was a necessary ally. Pleasing him with Kagome's back story would make it easier to work together against Naraku in the future.

The villagers bowed as they passed, murmuring words of greeting and praise to Lord Rei and Sesshomaru. Kagome noticed more than a few staring at her. She knew it was unusual for her to be present, as the future mate of Lord Sesshomaru, but she would hedge a bet that it had more to do with her origins. Mikos turned youkai were far from common.

"Lord Rei is really fun and polite!" Kagome caught Rin's words, as she chatted animatedly with Shippo and Hatori.

"Fun and polite?" Shippo asked.

"Yes!" Rin beamed. "He is always respectful of Lord Sesshomaru, but he's more relaxed than the other nobles. Not in the rude way Lord Tatsuya is relaxed, but in a really nice way."

"Sounds like Mama," Shippo said, and laughed. "She's always polite, but casual, too."

"I simply hope my addition isn't a bother," Hatori mumbled, pulling his summer grass hair.

"Why?" Rin asked, turning to him.

"I am aware that hanyou are not always welcome," he said.

Rin rolled her eyes. "That won't bother Lord Rei. He accepted me without hesitation when Lord Sesshomaru first brought me for a visit, and I'm a full human."

Hatori nodded, though he still looked unsure.

Kagome turned away from the children, glad they were getting along. Hatori seemed to fit in well, despite being nervous some of the time.

The walk was much slower than Lord Rei's descent from the castle. It took the better part of an hour at a leisurely pace, the two daiyoukai speaking with each other the entire way. Kagome could hear the conversation well, but tuned them out. If they weren't speaking directly with her, she wasn't meant to hear it, and Sesshomaru would tell her if she needed to know anything.

"For now, my people will be taken care of," Lord Rei said, finishing the tale of what happened just before Sesshomaru arrived.

"Hn." Sesshomaru growled mentally. Naraku was not attacking just him, but the other youkai nobles as well. Would he collapse the entire country without a direct attack?

"And because my people are cared for," Lord Rei said, glancing back at Kagome, "I would like every detail about your pretty little mate."

He knew Kagome heard him, because she saw his glance, and blushed. Lord Rei chuckled, looking at Sesshomaru.

"You had best not be thinking of including her in your escapades." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, knowing all too well what Lord Rei enjoyed in his personal time.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Lord Rei said. "At least, not until I find out if she's open to it."

Sesshomaru growled, out loud, and clenched his fist. Lord Rei only laughed again.

When they breached the edge of the capital, and arrived at the tall, thick gates of the main castle, Lord Rei gathered several guards to escort them inside. He claimed it was for safety, but Kagome caught them staring more than once as they entered the massive building. She had to wonder if they didn't have an ulterior motive.

"Take the dragon to the stables," he said to one guard, who bowed and took Ah-Un's reins. The children huddled closer to Kagome as the dragon was led away.

"Welcome to my home," Lord Rei said, as they entered the door.

The layout of the castle was similar to Sesshomaru's, though certain aspects had a more western style. Rather than reinforced paper and frames, the doors were made in the style of medieval western castles, carved wood and strong metal handles. And rather than paper lanterns, the ceilings held metal chandeliers filled with candles.

The effect reminded Kagome of her history class, the only place she ever saw this type of architecture. They filed down halls full of youkai and human servants, and Kagome noted the difference from Sesshomaru's castle. He worked with youkai, and youkai only.

Finally, they came to the throne room. This door had the traditional Japanese style door, with two guards posted on each side. The guards escorting them left at this point, though Kagome caught them whispering about her, and frowned. She was used to the staring from Sesshomaru's servants, but they had the decency to wait until she was out of earshot to say anything.

Lord Rei took his place at the throne, tucking his legs underneath him. Sesshomaru and Kagome sat beside on another in front of him, the kids taking their place behind them. Kagome smiled and pat Shippo's head.

"It is a pleasure to see you this day," Lord Rei said, nodding humbly to the group.

Sesshomaru responded in kind, and said, "I am pleased to be here."

"So, without all the formalities," Lord Rei said, smiling and clapping his hands together, "I would like to know about you, Kagome. As mate of one of the great youkai lords of this country, it is necessary that you fill certain requirements."

Kagome nodded, slightly jostled. Lord Rei was friendly, but the degree of excitement was unexpected. "I am aware," she said. "I have to be powerful enough not to put the country at threat if I should have to be left in charge, in my mate's absence."

Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow. He couldn't recall telling her that.

"Indeed." Lord Rei smiled. "However, from what I hear, you are more than powerful enough, at least in spirit. What I am more interested in is your origin, as a human."

Kagome hesitated, and said, "Would you like the entire story, Lord Rei?"

He paused, and thought for a moment. "I believe I would," he said, with a grin.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome prepared herself, and began. She told everything she thought Lord Rei would want to hear, from how she met Inuyasha and shattered the jewel, to her journey as a priestess detecting the shards, to her finding of the Hana no Shukumei and discovering Sesshomaru was her mate. She left out her travels to the future, for fear Lord Rei might not believe her, and any trivial adventures with her friends that he wouldn't want to listen to.

He raised an eyebrow when she spoke of Tetsusaiga and how Sesshomaru tried to kill her. Kagome almost didn't mention it, but if she were being measured for her worth as Sesshomaru's mate, she thought she should include everything in their history.

The entire tale, summarized as Kagome told it, took the better part of an hour. It was three years, after all, and filled with multiple false leads as to Naraku's whereabouts. Lord Rei listened with an interested expression for most of the tale, but perked when Kagome began talk of the Hana.

"And you simply transformed?" he asked, when Kagome finished speaking. "When both mates interacted with the Hana?"

"Yes," Kagome said. "I bear Sesshomaru's mark and the body of an inu youkai. It is a precautionary method by the Hana to prevent my miko abilities from clashing with Sesshomaru's powers. At least, that's our theory."

"Hmm." Lord Rei touched his chin thoughtfully. "Interesting. Lady Kagome, I hope you do not mind, but I would like permission to ask you future questions, should they arise."

"If the interrogation if finished," Sesshomaru said, "there are more important matters this Sesshomaru wishes to discuss."

"Of course." Lord Rei smiled again. "How long will you be staying?"

"At least one night," Sesshomaru said, "although it may be longer."

"Very well." Lord Rei clapped once, loudly, and the door behind them opened. Two guards stepped inside, and bowed. "Escort Lady Kagome and the children to guest rooms," he said. "Lord Sesshomaru and I still have some things to talk about."

"Your highness," both guards said, with another bow. They approached Kagome, and were polite enough not to stare.

"Thank you," Kagome said, smiling at Lord Rei. "We appreciate being able to stay."

"My pleasure," Lord Rei said. "Go, rest from the journey."

Taking the children with her, Kagome followed the two guards out of the room, pausing in the doorway. She looked back at Sesshomaru, and gave a small wave, before leaving.

"She is quite the catch," Lord Rei said, turning to Sesshomaru. "She will be a wonderful mother, when you have pups."

"Indeed." Sesshomaru did not say more, eying Lord Rei carefully. He would do nothing to harm Kagome, Sesshomaru knew, but he had a tendency to flirt with any youkai that would give him the time, even with a loving mate and son to care for. And as Lord of the East, any youkai he spoke to was willing to partake in his games.

Sesshomaru would not let Kagome succumb to such.

"I notice you do not hesitate to be near her," Lord Rei said, grinning. "You hate being touched. You do not even show affection to your ward."

"This Sesshomaru has realized there are more important things than worrying over physical affection," Sesshomaru said, wishing Lord Rei would drop the subject. "Those who believe me less powerful for having a mate I care for can attempt to attack if they wish. Their blood would be proof to the contrary."

"That is the Lord Sesshomaru I know!" Lord Rei laughed. "There will be time to get to know your mate, if you are truly staying for some time. We should begin a serious discussion about the troublesome Naraku."

Sesshomaru nodded, relieved that Kagome would be out of Rei's thoughts, for the time being.

()

The room provided to Kagome was also western styled, and she loved it.

Jumping on the fluffy bed, Kagome let out a long sigh. The trip away from the castle was long and difficult. Being able to relax for a short time would be good for her, even if Naraku was the reason they were here.

She hugged the soft pillows, filled with down and covered in red silk. Shippo and Hatori were given a room, and Rin was separated into the room next door. Kagome thought it silly at first, until she realized that Rin was eleven. In feudal Japan, she was almost old enough to be married.

Kagome wouldn't let that happen. Just because a girl hit puberty, didn't mean she should be married and start having children right away. She had a feeling Sesshomaru felt the same way. He did everything to protect her innocence, keeping her away from battle and death.

That might not be possible, with Naraku practically around the corner. Kagome hugged the pillow closer. He was poisoning the land, but hiding his body. And Hakudoshi hadn't been seen or heard from in such a long time. None of Naraku's incarnations had shown themselves recently. Before the poison, Kagome almost lost hope of finding Naraku, with the inactivity.

And she had no way of knowing if her friends were doing any better. Sango and Miroku didn't have a way to find shards anymore. Inuyasha was troubled by a pregnant girl he barely knew. And despite how much she wanted to destroy Naraku, Kagome couldn't stop worrying about her mating. Personal issues were interrupting what should be the most important mission any of them faced.

Maybe she would feel better if she discussed it with Sesshomaru. Kagome sat up, feeling the mark on her forehead. It had no texture. Even make-up could be told apart from her skin when Kagome felt it, but the crescent moon stayed completely hidden until she looked in a mirror and moved her bangs. The mark tied her to one of the most powerful daiyoukai in existence.

"And there I go worrying about the mating again," Kagome said to herself, and sighed. She couldn't help worrying over it, but she wished she could focus.

To distract herself, Kagome grabbed her backpack and moved a few things out of it. Her toiletries, a few clothes, some of the snacks she kept for the kids. Her fingers brushed against a familiar box. Kagome stopped, and picked it up. The box containing the Hana no Shukumei. Kagome almost never looked at the actual flower, only thought of what it did to her.

She never asked to be a youkai. Kagome lover her human body, the way it functioned, even how easily it broke. She looked no different, save for minor details such as her ears, but Kagome could feel the difference. Her body didn't age the way it used to. It took damage differently.

Lord Rei was more direct than anyone before about how and why she changed. The whirlwind of mating and trying to find more shards distracted her from the truth, and now Kagome couldn't help but wonder about it. If the Hana had not come along, she would be fighting Naraku as a human. As a youkai, she lost none of her miko powers, though they were harder to control now. Fighting Naraku would be easier with more strength, but . . .

Kagome sighed, shoving the box back into her bag. Too many things to worry about, not enough sleep. She fell back on the bed, taking a deep breath.

"I did not know you were so tired."

She started, and looked up. Sesshomaru stood in the doorway, door open behind him.

"I thought you were talking with Lord Rei," Kagome said, sitting up.

"We spoke briefly of Naraku," Sesshomaru said, "but agreed that it would be best to speak during dinner, and have other nobles' opinions."

"I see." Kagome paused, and smiled. "Come here," she said, beckoning him closer.


	37. The Next Step

Hatori twiddled his fingers, watching Shippo put away his toys and clothing. The fox kit did not own much, but what items he did have were kept with Kagome most of the time. When the boys were shown their own room, Shippo asked to have it out, despite the likelihood that the visit would be brief.

Hatori himself did not own anything beyond the clothes on his back, and with nothing to put away, he could only sit and watch Shippo. The neko hanyou's ears swiveled back and forth, anxious to be somewhere else.

"Shippo?"

The fox kit looked up from folding a vest, a small copy of his own vest made by Kagome's mother the year before. "Yeah?" he asked, setting it atop his small pile of clothes.

"I'm going to use the lavatory," Hatori said, knowing full well he wasn't. He waited a moment for Shippo's response, and relaxed when the kit nodded.

"Sure, go ahead. You don't have to let me know."

"I thought I should," Hatori said as he stood. "Miss Kagome was rather upset the last time she did not know where I went. You will tell her if she asks?"

"Yeah, of course." Shippo was no longer paying attention to him, distracted by a toy he hadn't played with in a while, one of the many Kagome gave back when Shippo insisted on putting away his own things. He threw the wooden circle toward the ground, grinning as the string attached pulled taut, and yanked the circle back toward him.

Hatori waved, though Shippo couldn't see it, and left the room.

Glad to be away from the child, Hatori immediately sharpened every sense he had. Unfamiliar smells drifted to his nostril, as his ears picked up hundreds of noises he tuned out before. Cat like irises narrowed in the light of the hall, picking between the youkai and human servants for anything of interest.

Naraku was taking an unexpected strategy, poisoning the people to shift the blame to the youkai royalty. It would topple the structure of the country and cause an uprising at this rate.

Thankfully, Miss Kagome knew how to eradicate the miasma, even if she had trouble with her skills. No doubt Miss Kagome was the key to defeating the spider hanyou.

Hatori only wished he could provide more direct help. But until all the jewel shards were found, he could do nothing more than watch. Kagome obtained the last of the petty shards, those held by lesser youkai. The last were held by the great wolf, the undead slayer boy, and a single shard suspended between the worlds of the dead and the living.

That would be the most difficult to obtain. Hatori glanced at a youkai woman, who glared briefly before returning to her work. The hanyou for was not the most ideal. However, it gained him the sympathy he needed from Miss Kagome.

He found the lavatory, and passed it quickly. A few minutes of exploring could be afforded.

Hatori soon found himself by Miss Kagome's room, but he didn't bother staying near it. She probably wanted to sleep after a long day.

Wandering down the hall for some time, Hatori evaluated the situation in his mind. Lord Rei would certainly be of help, though his friskiness certainly came off strongly. Hatori saw the door to the throne room, and could smell the Lord of the East within it.

"And where do you think you are going, little hanyou?"

Hatori's ears perked, and he looked up at one of the guards, standing by the entrance to the throne room. He gave Hatori a wide grin.

"The lavatory," Hatori said, knowing he would be escorted back to his room.

"That isn't near this room, young one," the guard said, motioning for his partner to watch his spot, as he approached Hatori. "Little hanyou such as yourself could be hurt, if they wander by themselves."

Hatori's skin prickled. The man clearly did not care for hanyou. His ears laid flat as the man knelt close to him.

"Perhaps I should bring you to the lavatory myself," he said, a fang poking from between his lips.

"I can escort myself," Hatori said with equal threat. "You should attend to your duties."

"Nonsense, I will help you." The guard grabbed Hatori's wrist, yanking it harshly.

Hatori growled, pulling his hand away quickly. The guard's grip tightened slightly, expecting the hanyou to give up on getting away. His eyes went wide when Hatori yanked again, and the strength forced his hand to release Hatori's wrist.

"I am fine," Hatori said, "on my own." With a flick of his ears, Hatori turned and walked back the way he came, leaving the guard stunned that a child could pull out of a grown youkai's grip.

Hatori hadn't wanted to use all his ability, but he would not let a guard take advantage of him. Another inconvenience of the hanyou form, youkai thought they could do what they pleased. It seemed exploring the castle was off for the day.

As he walked back to his room, Hatori scanned the halls again, keeping an eye out for entrances to other areas. There were several other halls, all of which had various youkai and human servants working through them. Some cleaning, some carrying objects between rooms.

Nothing offered much promise, either way. Hatori passed them without much fuss, arriving back at his room soon enough.

Shippo had finished packing, and was reading a book, when Hatori came in.

"You read?" Hatori asked, closing the door behind him.

"Uh-huh." Shippo marked his spot with a ribbon and set the book beside him. "Mama taught me how. She told me that almost everyone from her ti- er, homeland, knows how to read." Shippo cringed as he tripped over his words, hoping Hatori wouldn't notice.

"I see." Hatori sat on the bed, which sat upon four wooden legs in the western style. "Miss Kagome seems to have many strange practices relating to her homeland. Where is she from?"

Shippo paused, and bit his lip. Mama never spoke to him about what to say for this type of question. He glanced around the room, noting its furniture and decoration, and blurted, "The west! Mama is, uh, from the west." Shippo tried to smile reassuringly.

Hatori looked him the eye, and nodded. "That would explain her behavior," he said, not believing a word of it. "Although she appears to be a full blood Japanese."

"She is," Shippo quickly supplied, "but her family moved away. Generations ago," he added. "Mama is Japanese, and western raised. She visited home a lot when we traveled with our friends."

Hatori, still not believing the lies, nodded again. "Interesting. Was she desired by many when she came to our land?" The more Hatori knew about Miss Kagome, the better. Although there was much he could tell about her simply by observation, the past behind the powerful miko was something Hatori would have difficulty learning without using his energy. And his energy was something precious, to be saved for when he truly needed it.

Shippo scratched his head at the question. "Um, I guess? Inuyasha really liked her, and there was this wolf youkai named Koga, but he promised himself to some other wolf girl. And then Mama did complain about this boy from her home that wouldn't leave her alone . . ." Shippo stopped himself, wondered if he was revealing too much, and switched gears. "Mama was too busy with Naraku and the shards to think much about men."

"Hm." Hatori suspected as much, from the way she acted. Miss Kagome did not handle issues with emotions well, especially after watching her interact with Lord Sesshomaru. However, it seemed due to the pure strength of said emotions. If she felt so much empathy for others that she let herself be distraught so easily by romance, Hatori had a feeling she could fulfill his task.

"What are you thinking about?" Shippo asked, tilting his head.

Hatori snapped out of his reverie. "Nothing, Shippo," he said. "Mostly, I worry about Naraku. And, though it may seem selfish of me, I worry that my grandfather will not be able to make it to the castle to wait for my return. He did send word that he would retrieve me after my mother's passing, but . . ." Hatori trailed off, hoping the monologue would distract Shippo from his behavior.

"Yeah, that's pretty bad," Shippo agreed. "It's not selfish to worry about that. Mama will take good care of you while you're here." He reached over and ruffled Hatori's deep green hair.

"Thank you," Hatori said, and smiled. Though he was not here to make friends, Hatori could tell Shippo had a pure heart. If he ever confessed his feelings for Rin, the two would make a lovely pair.

()

Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow. Kagome was gesturing him close with her fingers, shifting to make room for him on the bed. "Come on," Kagome said, when he did not move.

He hesitated only a moment, before accommodating himself on the thick mattress, so unlike the futons in his own castle. Kagome smiled tentatively, and leaned forward.

"As long as we're here," she said, "and there's time before we discuss the situation with Lord Rei further, I thought we could try getting to know each other."

Sesshomaru paused, and said, "What did you have in mind?"

Kagome opened her mouth, and stopped herself, before chuckling. "I actually don't know," she admitted, moving away and giving Sesshomaru back his personal space. "I'm new to all this," she said, with a blush.

Sesshomaru stared at her a moment, and stood. Kagome watched curiously, as Sesshomaru began to undo his armor. The chest plate separated, the pieces coming off gently. Sesshomaru set them aside, on a table in the room, and resettled himself on the bed.

"I've never seen you take off your armor," Kagome said, eyebrows raising in surprise.

"It will inhibit my actions," Sesshomaru said, before he moved closer.

Kagome blushed again, but could not stop the daiyoukai as he grabbed one of her hands in his, the other cupping her cheek as his lips descended upon hers.

The kiss was brief, chaste. Sesshomaru pulled away, and looked into Kagome's eyes, measuring her reaction. She smiled, brushing her hair back with her free hand.

"This is nice," she said, with a tone of caution. Sesshomaru put his guard up immediately. "But," she continued, "should we be doing this?"

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to clench his teeth. "Have we not performed this dance of avoidance before?" he asked with mild annoyance.

"Oh, no!" Kagome raised her hand in defense, shaking her head. "I mean, it's not that I want to stop. It's just . . ." she paused. "I admire you, Sesshomaru, for your bravery and kindness toward Rin, and your duty to your citizens, and a dozen other good qualities I've found in a man I never thought I could feel this way about." She lowered her head, the speech making her nervous. "But I know almost nothing about you outside of what I've seen since we met," Kagome said. "Nothing about your past, or what you think about. I don't . . . want to delve too quickly into the physical, before we have a chance to experience the emotional."

Sesshomaru took in her words, contemplating them. Kagome proved irritating in the matters of mating. A human her age would be married with several children. A youkai her age might experience the same, or be holding her own in hopes of capturing a high ranking husband. And yet she insisted on pausing at every chance.

"What would you care to know?" Sesshomaru asked, holding in a sigh.

Kagome bit her lip. "Um, I'm not sure." She had no idea what she could ask about, without hitting some sort of trigger for the daiyoukai. Family would be out of the question, he clearly didn't care for the fact his father took on a human mate. She knew he didn't have any hobbies.

"Decide quickly, Kagome," Sesshomaru said, his voice low, "or I will lose my patience and return to our previous actions."

The comment made Kagome blush, and she scrambled for something to ask.

"What's your favorite color?"

Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow. Kagome blushed deeper and looked away. "Sorry," she said, with a nervous laugh. "It's a silly question. I just wanted to ask something."

"Does color preference matter to you?" Sesshomaru said, his eyes drifting to Kagome's lips. Unused to showing physical affection for a female on more than one occasion, the desire to kiss Kagome again was frustrating to say the least.

"No," Kagome said, shaking her head. "It's just a basic question some people like to ask."

"Hn." Sesshomaru turned the question over for a minute. "Green and blue are pleasing colors."

Kagome smiled. "That's good to hear. I like purple, myself."

Sesshomaru reached out, touching Kagome's forehead. Her bangs moved aside, revealing the crescent mark. "In that case," he said, "it is good that your mating mark is of that color." He leaned forward, touching their foreheads.

Kagome's temperature spiked with another blush. "Yes, I suppose so," she said, staring at the daiyoukai's eyes, so close to her own.

Sesshomaru pulled away. "Kagome," he said, "what Lord Rei said about the Mating Dance was correct. Most youkai move through the steps in a number of weeks."

That was an interesting turn in conversation. Kagome sighed, adjusting her bangs. "I know," she said. "But that isn't normal, in my time. People spend months, even years, getting to know each other and spending time with each other before they decide to settle down."

"Do humans not mate quickly when they are young?" Sesshomaru thought to everything he knew about humans, before recalling that humans of Kagome's future were different.

"In this time," Kagome said, confirming Sesshomaru's thoughts. "We have longer life spans in the future, due to better health care. We can afford to take our time with . . . with love." The word was awkward coming from her mouth, and Kagome turned away.

Sesshomaru stared at her a moment. "Youkai nobles," he said, "mate quickly, because the threat of assassination and usurping is always present. Children must be produced as soon as possible, to ensure an heir can take the parent's place if they are killed." He paused, and continued, "I understand if you must take things more slowly. However, youkai live for centuries at a time." He reached out, taking a lock of Kagome's hair. "Even if we did not love one another during and after mating, we have hundreds of years to feel such emotions."

Kagome turned to him, unsure what to say. It was true, assuming they could track and destroy Naraku. If he were not a threat, and no other power attacked them, they had all the time in the world with each other. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were both centuries old already, and would likely live centuries more. There was plenty of time to learn everything about Sesshomaru.

Still. Kagome hesitated, and touched the hand that held a lock of her hair. Everything felt rushed. She was pushed into a mating she didn't expect, taken away from her human form for the rest of her life, and feeling things for a murderous daiyoukai she never thought she could like. And suddenly Sesshomaru was showing affection for her, too, even as they hunted Naraku and met other youkai nobles.

Kagome just wanted to rest.

"I'm so tired," she murmured.

"Do you wish to sleep?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Not that kind of tired," Kagome said, with a sigh. "It's a lot happening at once, and I wish life would slow down enough for me to absorb some of it."

Sesshomaru released her hair, shifting away. "What do you wish to do?"

She shrugged. "Mostly, I wish Naraku wasn't causing trouble," she said. "All of this would be bearable if he wasn't threatening all of us."

"We shall discuss the matter of Naraku with Lord Rei," Sesshomaru said. "This evening, there will be a number of nobles dining with us that will be able to provide input on the matter." He paused. "They may object to a female voicing her opinion openly, but you may speak freely in the discussion."

Kagome repressed a snide comment. She always intended to speak her mind, the opinions of the nobles be damned, but she said, "Thank you. I intend to offer my thoughts on the subject."

"In the meantime," Sesshomaru said, "there is nothing to worry for. The children are occupied and the immediate threat of Naraku is dealt with. We can be alone."

Kagome heard the hint in his words, and smiled. He might not know exactly what she needed, but he was doing his best. "Sesshomaru," Kagome said, looking into his eyes.

"Yes?"

She smiled. "If you wish to move forward with the Mating Dance, I can tell you one thing." She touched his arm lightly. "I'm more than sure that you can protect me, both physically and emotionally."

()

Hatori's ears pricked. He swiveled his head toward the door. It was faint, but unmistakeable. A shift in energy, radiating from the rooms down the hall. His neko ears flicked back and forth, slightly irritated by the feeling.

"What's the matter, Hatori?"

Shippo sat up from the bed, rubbing his eyes. He decided to take a nap before they were called for dinner that evening. Hatori joined him for the nap, but never fell asleep. He was paying too much attention to the energies in Miss Kagome's room, since he caught Lord Sesshomaru's scent in the hall.

The sooner the two of them mated, the sooner Hatori could get what he wanted.

And the auras of both inu youkai had shifted dramatically. "I thought I heard something," Hatori muttered to Shippo, to quell his curiosity.

The sleepy kit shrugged, and fell back into the pillows. Hatori quickly got out of bed, ears still twitching, and cloaked his scent to avoid detection.

Their room was two down from Miss Kagome's room, Rin delegated to the room in between. Hatori slipped out the door, after checking the hall for potential intruders, and passed by Rin's room to approach the new aura.

Hatori glanced around for any servants or guards, before pressing his ear carefully to the door. The thick wooden walls muffled noises, and Hatori needed to hear everything he could. Rude as it was, he must keep closer checks on the two, now that they were finally progressing in the Mating Dance.

"Sesshomaru, what-" Miss Kagome said from inside, and cut herself off. Hatori frowned, wishing he could see them.

After a long pause, he heard Lord Sesshomaru say, "I cannot be sure, Kagome, but this may be a result of your words a moment ago."

Hatori felt his heart tighten, and pressed his ear harder against the door.

()

Kagome stared at Sesshomaru, her hands holding the delicate Hana no Shukumei.

The moment she told Sesshomaru her confidence in his ability to protect her, a light burst from her backpack, and Kagome had to dig around in it before discovering the light came from the box holding the Hana. Its petals emitted a bright purple glow, and Kagome hesitated before removing it from its container.

She wrinkled her brow at Sesshomaru's words. "My words?" she asked, looking at the Hana again. It had done nothing but exist as a preserved rose in her bag after Kagome's transformation.

"You informed me that you believed me capable of protecting you in all ways," Sesshomaru said, "which fulfills the requirements of the second step in the Mating Dance."

"Oh." Kagome could think of nothing else to say, twirling the glowing rose in her fingertips. "I didn't think it would do anything else besides be a rose," she said.

"The Hana no Shukumei is said to have the power of the gods themselves," Sesshomaru said, taking the rose from her. Kagome frowned but didn't object. "It is natural to assume that it would have other abilities, besides your transformation." He eyed her carefully, and looked to the rose again.

"Myoga never mentioned anything, and neither did Kaede," Kagome said. "It hasn't even done anything but glow, yet."

"Hn." Sesshomaru touched the petals gently. "The aura of the rose feels different."

"Aura?" Kagome leaned closer, and felt the change she failed to notice before. "You're right," she said. "But what in the world does it mean?"

"This Sesshomaru knows as much about the Hana no Shukumei as you do." Sesshomaru offered it back to her, and Kagome took it, to place back in its box. The glow faded slightly as she released her grasp on it, but continued to emanate even after Kagome closed the container.

"Perhaps its something to ask Lord Rei about," she mused, running her hand over the top of the smooth wood.

"He would know as much as I do," Sesshomaru said, "and likely less. My father found a human concubine with the Hana, but kept to himself in any matter concerning her. Even if Lord Rei met her, I doubt my father would have divulged unnecessary information."

"It wouldn't hurt to ask either way," Kagome said. "And speaking of Lord Rei." She turned to face Sesshomaru. "How much time do we have until dinner?"

Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow, and said, "A few hours."

Kagome took the box holding the Hana, eying it a moment, before she tucked it carefully back into her backpack and pushed the bag away. "As long as we can't do anything about the Hana, and we're in here by ourselves, we can spend some time with each other."

Sesshomaru watched as Kagome shuffled back, stretching her legs across the bed, and moved to the side to make room for him. "Do you wish for more personal questions to obtain information about myself?" Sesshomaru asked, as he settled himself on the bed beside her.

Kagome blushed slightly at the intimacy of the act, afraid to snuggle close the way she wanted as they lay in bed. "I think you're right about that," she said. "We have years to get to know each other, and it feels kind of unnatural to ask you a bunch of questions at once." She laid her head on the pillow, and gave a small smile. "I would rather just lie here for a while."

Sesshomaru mimicked her position, and paused, before placing his hand on her arm. "That is a good suggestion," he said, pulling her closer.

It was only a few moments later, when Kagome slipped into unconsciousness.

()

"Is she truly a human turned youkai?"

"Preposterous. It must be some elaborate lie."

"No, I heard something from a cousin in the west! It is true!"

Lord Rei listened to the nobles around him murmuring about Lady Kagome. When news came of Lord Sesshomaru's arrival, it was all they could speak of. Juicy rumors flew back and forth about the first woman to find the Hana no Shukumei in two centuries, a youkai of human birth.

The process in and of itself interested Lord Rei the most. What kind of power did this Hana no Shukumei have? Humans attempted to become youkai before, and almost always it ended in corruption through dark magic. Lady Kagome, however, was a perfectly reasonable and well behaved young woman, that gave no indication of having been changed by her youkai body.

No doubt thousands of questions would be rained upon her during dinner, if Lord Rei did not quickly divert attention to the more pressing issue of Naraku.

Lord Sesshomaru said the spider hanyou attacked his land, and his miasma appeared to be spreading to the other lands. Even Lord Tatsuya in the far south sent word of several incidents with his vast crop lands. According the the Lord of the West, the hanyou waged a political war, trying to turn the citizens of the land against their leaders and cause an uprising.

Lord Rei would be damned if he let that happen. Even if the elusive hanyou could not be found, Lord Rei could manage his people. No one would be starting a rebellion on his watch.

He drew himself from his thoughts when he heard the door opening. Lord Rei looked to the end of the hall, with the rest of the nobles seated at the table. Lord Sesshomaru and his band were the only ones who had not shown, and Lord Rei straightened his back as they entered.

The first to come in were the three children. Each wore clothing slightly cleaner than what they walked in with, chatting animatedly with each other before the small imp youkai berated them for their manners. At this, they quieted, looking around the expansive dining hall.

Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Kagome walked behind the children. Lord Sesshomaru wore the same outfit, but a blue tassel had been added to the red on his chest plate. A sign of peace and offering to the Lord of the East.

Lady Kagome wore a different outfit entirely, a regal kimono much different to the battle outfit she walked in with. It was deep orange, decorated with red maple leaves cascading down the side. Her hair was tied into a bun, two red hair pins on either side of her head. The whispers about her began anew as they watched her walk with Lord Sesshomaru, until they stood in their place as the guests of honor, beside Lord Rei's seat.

"It is good to see you this evening," Lord Rei said, with a bow.

"And you as well," Lord Sesshomaru replied, nodding his head. They pair took their seats, the children guided by Jaken to a more appropriate table nearby. Several of the nobles children were seated together for the meal, and Lord Rei saw the human girl Rin squeal in happiness at the sight of other children.

"Good evening, Lord Rei," Lady Kagome said, as she sat on Lord Sesshomaru's other side.

"Good evening," he replied, pleased to see her. "As much as I would love to ask you more questions, Lady Kagome, there is a more pressing matter to address, after dinner begins."

She nodded, but did not say anything.

As soon as the guests of honor were seated, the whispers ended, and dinner was served. A multitude of western courses, continuing Lord Rei's preference for the western style. Kagome recognized food she normally saw only in her own time, and felt her stomach rumble.

When the food was lain on the table, and before everyone prepared the eat, Lord Rei rose from his chair. "May I have your attention?"

Every noble snapped their heads toward the Lord of the East. He smiled, and said, "Tonight we have the honor of dining with our esteemed Lord Sesshomaru." Lord Rei paused, and several youkai at the table clapped.

"Unfortunately," he said, "this is not a happy time. A youkai has been attacking us, a man by the name of Naraku. He is said to be extremely powerful, holding almost every shard of the Shikon no Tama. But, there is a light for us."

Lord Rei turned to Kagome, and gestured for her to stand. She blushed and nodded, surprised when Sesshomaru stood with her. Kagome smiled gratefully, before facing the table.

"Lady Kagome," Lord Rei said, "is a powerful miko, and has spent the last three years hunting Naraku with her friends. And now she is paired with Lord Sesshomaru, on of the greatest youkai to grace our presence since his own father."

There was more clapping, and several calls of appreciation. Lord Rei waved a hand to quiet the guests. "Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Kagome are continuing the hunt for Naraku," Lord Rei said. "And after we have had our fill of food, I would like each and every one of you to gather in the great hall with us, to discuss how we will handle the situation." Lord Rei's eyes swept over the crowd. "I hope that you turn the matter over in your minds during dinner."

With that, he sat, Kagome and Sesshomaru with him. The nobles were wound now, but as the servants began distributing food and asking what the youkai wanted on their plates, the matter retreated from their minds.

Lord Rei turned to Sesshomaru, with a smirk. "I hope you are prepared for a long night."

Sesshomaru looked him in the eye, and nodded.

()

And that's a wrap!

Mattaki here, hoping you all enjoyed this chapter. Everyone settles in to Lord Rei's castle, and a bit more about Hatori's motivations are revealed.

Next chapter should be up around the 13th. If you could, please take the time to review and let me know what you thought.

Thanks for reading!

Ja ne~


	38. The Presentation

"He's what!?"

"Miasma?"

"Why isn't he dead!?"

"This is absurd!"

The clamoring and noise coming from the nobles made Kagome want to cover her ears. She twisted her fingers back and forth, and tried to sit calmly by Sesshomaru. The throne room was filled to the brim with youkai yelling back and forth about Naraku. Beside her, Sesshomaru stared patiently over the crowd. Kagome wanted the children to retire to bed, but Shippo insisted on knowing everything about the situation with Naraku. And as much as Sesshomaru thought Rin should stay out of their affairs, she felt old enough to be in the know.

Hatori sat with the two, on Kagome's left, his ears flicking back and forth. Kagome thought he looked more focused, and less nervous, than usual. That could happen when something as serious as this came up.

"Quiet, everyone." Lord Rei's voice swept over the room, silencing the group. He scanned them quickly, and said, "This youkai by the name of Naraku is indeed a threat. A threat, I am sorry to say, I was unaware of until recent months."

"Why did you not notice earlier!?"

"Silence," Lord Rei said, glaring at the offending noble who spoke out of turn. The change from his previous demeanor impressed Kagome, and proved that not everyone was as see through as one might think.

"Naraku kept his dealings mostly in the lands of the West," Sesshomaru said, addressing the question. "That is where my father lived, and where my bastard half brother spent a majority of his time. It is with this same half brother that Naraku concerned himself, and his attacks rarely left that area."

Kagome felt her heart pick up slightly. Mention of a hanyou, especially an illegitimate son such as Inuyasha, might fuel the proverbial fire that was picking up.

"You never called for assistance from the other great daiyoukai?" someone asked.

Sesshomaru turned to the man. "No," he said. "Naraku did not directly threaten my people, and when I sought to kill him, I did so for personal reasons. This Sesshomaru involves himself with Lord Rei now only because of the political consequences of Naraku's actions."

"And you would let us die if this youkai did not affect your politics?" the same man asked. Kagome furrowed her brow at his persistence.

"I would not let my people die in such great numbers at the hand of one youkai," Sesshomaru said, "and Lord Rei would not do so either."

"Lord Sesshomaru is correct," Lord Rei added, with a small smile. "We treasure our citizens, and the death of so many is not permissible. Which is why we must deal with him now, and not fumble with questions that are, at the moment, irrelevant."

The nobles quieted, mumbling and whispering among themselves. Kagome brushed her bangs from her eyes with a small sigh. She was by no means familiar with the court system or these types of meetings. As Lady of the West, this type of thing might become common.

"The first issue is that of the attacks," Lord Rei said, when he thought the room sufficiently quiet. "Naraku is sending waves of poisonous miasma to taint our farm lands and kill our livestock. The only crop that seems to survive the attacks is rice, as the poison does not appear to taint the water in which it grows. As such, many affected villages are living off rice, human and youkai alike."

"We have gone through times of famine in the past," Sesshomaru said. "The lands will be able to survive on a singular crop for the next few months, assuming some areas began storing their food for the winter before the miasma hit. Naraku strategically began the attacks during the harvest season to wilt any crops we had before they could be used."

"That is our biggest issue." Lord Rei's eyes swept over his audience once more. "Obtaining and efficiently using a food supply until spring. I sent some of my own stores to the areas with the worst supply. I will continue to help those who need it most."

"And what about the areas that don't receive help?" another noble asked.

Kagome sat straighter, and turned to Sesshomaru, a question in her eyes. He looked at her, and to Lord Rei. He saw them both, paused, and nodded. Sesshomaru faced Kagome again and gave a nod as well.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome said, "I can address that question."

All youkai in the room looked at her, and all speech stopped. The silence was eerie, and Kagome almost regretted speaking. She drew her courage from within her, straightened her back again, and continued. "I performed a service," she said, "for a village in Lord Sesshomaru's land. As a miko, I can purify Naraku's miasma, and subsequently make the land useful after it is poisoned."

The murmurs of before started again, the women shocked that Kagome could speak so openly, the males eying her with suspicion. It was all Kagome could do to keep from freezing up.

"Why have you not purified all the lands? What are you waiting for?"

"Will a miko not harm any youkai with powers such as that?"

"How can you speak so confidently for yourself?"

The questions began to spill rapidly, and Kagome leaned back, as if to separate herself from the voices accusing her. She frowned, and prepared herself to shoot replies back.

Before she could say anything, Sesshomaru interjected, saying, "Lady Kagome is of a culture different from ours." The command behind his voice silenced the room once more, and each noble turned to face him. "She comes from a land that trains women to be strong and confident in themselves," he continued. "In this way, Kagome is able to fight Naraku, because she does not doubt her abilities, and can speak for herself regarding her skills."

One male youkai raised his hand, the first polite gesture of awaiting his turn to speak. Sesshomaru gestured to Kagome to give her the floor, and she nodded at the nobleman. He paused, and said, "Where you are from may change how you approach a situation such as this, my lady, but it still begs the question of why you have not been working to purify all the lands."

At this, Kagome frowned, and resisted the urge to bite her lip. She knew the nobles would not care to hear the answer. She took a deep breath, and said, "I have always had the power to purify the miasma Naraku so readily uses. However, I did so using my weapon of choice, a bow and arrow. The purification of the lands requires a different skill, a power that I only recently discovered I could use."

A roar started again in the throne room, women frowning and whispering among themselves, men in a fit about Kagome's qualifications. Before Sesshomaru or Lord Rei could calm them, Kagome decided to take the matter into her own hands.

"Silence!" she said, holding a hand in stopping signal. The voice sounded unreal, not like her, and it surprised everyone in the room. Even the children raised eyebrows at it. Sesshomaru could see the rage boiling in Kagome's eyes, and reached out to take her hand.

Kagome stopped, her hand falling, as Sesshomaru touched the other. She hesitated, and smiled, realizing the inappropriateness of her action. Kagome faced the crowd once more, and said, "I apologize for my harsh reaction, everyone."

But the nobles were not looking at Kagome. Rather, they stared at her hand, held gingerly beneath Sesshomaru's. Tales of the cold demeanor of the western daiyoukai reached far enough to be known to every citizen, even those of the other lands. In some areas it was exaggerated, rumors flying of his evil power and controlling claws. Such an intimate gesture, even towards his supposed mate, caught everyone by surprise.

Lord Rei himself had an amused grin plastered on his face, distracting him from the matter at hand.

Kagome saw the stairs, and took advantage of the quiet. "As I was saying, this new ability works to purify the land." She scanned the room, as each noble slowly broke their gaze from the joined hands of the mates, to look at her. "It destroyed the miasma on the land of a village in the west," Kagome continued. "But it is a new power, and relatively unstable. Unfortunately . . ." She paused, unsure if she should reveal the weakness to citizens who were eager for anything to throw her to the wolves.

"Unfortunately," Kagome said, knowing honesty was the best route, "my power is of a miko nature, and harmed the villagers. Not to a point where they could not recover, but it harmed them all the same. I do not want to use this power again until I am sure I can avoid harming the citizens we are here to help."

More whispers among the nobles, some of them scrutinizing Kagome. A few looked hopeful, even happy, but their numbers were few.

"If such a way to purify the miasma exists," Lord Rei said, taking the floor back, "we should be grateful. No doubt with such a powerful being as Naraku, that holds many Shikon shards, the miasma would be difficult to destroy without a miko's ability."

A few nobles grunted their agreements. All were reluctant to praise such a strange creature as Kagome.

"If this is true," Lord Rei continued, "our priority is purifying the lands and finding this Naraku. If the general consensus agrees, I would like to propose sending a small group of warriors to track the path of the miasma and try to predict where Naraku will strike next."

"Naraku is often impossible to find unless he wants to be found," Kagome said, quietly, addressing Lord Rei himself.

He paused, and said, "All the same, I would like to try."

"Could I bring up another point?" Kagome asked, glancing at the nobles.

"Certainly." Lord Rei nodded, and gave a small smile. "Any knowledge is valuable."

Kagome took a deep breath, turning to the crowd once more. "Naraku is a powerful being," she said. "I have spent the last three years trying to kill him, and he is difficult to find when he does not wish to be found. He also has several youkai that work for him, that he creates from himself. Incarnations, as they are known."

"The incarnations!?"

Everyone turned to look at the noblewoman who burst out, and now covered her mouth in shame. The proper woman was seen and not heard unless necessary. Kagome furrowed her brow, and said, "Do you know of them?"

She paused, and nodded, taking her hand from her mouth. "Yes, my lady," the noblewoman said with a deep bow. "From family near the human village of Edo. They speak of tainted beings, rumored to be pieces of a dark soul. They are called the incarnations, but the name Naraku was never mentioned."

Kagome frowned. That was how bad Naraku became to these lands. Rumors flew of his actions, and his true name remained a mystery to most.

"These incarnations serve him well," Kagome said. "But there is one incarnation that we need to worry about, the source of his life. His heart."

Sesshomaru tightened his grip on Kagome's hand. He knew of the heart. The infant that Naraku kept hidden from all, the piece of him with which he could live, no matter how many times his body was destroyed by his adversaries.

As Kagome explained what Naraku's heart was, and Lord Rei listened intently, Sesshomaru considered their options in his mind.

Finding Naraku was priority, but if Kagome could neutralize what Naraku did, it gave them more time to locate him. He needed to encourage Kagome to train and perfect her purification skills above all else. In addition, their only good chance of finding Naraku while the spider hid would be utilizing Kagome's ability to detect shards. If she could find the Shikon no Tama, they would find Naraku, and destroy him.

And there was the matter of the heart. Taking Naraku's physical body meant nothing if the heart could not be destroyed. They must locate the heart and destroy it, before anything else was done. If that were the case . . .

Sesshomaru tightened his grip on Kagome's hand as she finished her explanation. She turned to him, and raised an eyebrow.

"Finding this heart is the key to killing Naraku once and for all," Sesshomaru said. "As such, I believe the best course of action is to pursue the heart. We must locate it and destroy it." With a glance at Kagome, Sesshomaru added, "If my mate is to the task, she can attempt to purify what Naraku has poisoned while we search."

"Of course I'm up to it," Kagome said. Louder, facing the crowd, she said, "As future Lady of the West, I will do my best to perfect my power and help those affected by Naraku."

"That sounds like a practical and courageous plan," Lord Rei said. "I will follow through with a group of warriors to track the miasma's path, and report all I can back to you."

"You truly believe you can find this 'heart' and destroy it?" a nobleman snuffed.

"With the help of those we love, we can." Kagome answered calmly, and with a smile, as she leaned closer to Sesshomaru. "Anything is possible, and I know that none of us will give up until Naraku is found and killed."

Her confidence in what she said seemed to stop further questions. Kagome ran her eyes over the nobles before her, keeping her smile. As worried as she might be, and as much of a threat Naraku posed, she had her loved ones with her. Kagome could hardly be afraid of the doubt of these citizens.

"I think that is enough seriousness for the moment." Lord Rei stood with a smile. "We have a basic plan. Lord Sesshomaru and I will be going over the details together, and will make a public announcement when we see fit. You may go."

The youkai in the room hesitated, but when the guards opened the doors of the throne room, they shuffled out obediently, speaking amongst themselves their doubts and questions.

Lord Rei waited until they had gone, and the door closed. With a sigh, he faced Sesshomaru and Kagome. "If you will excuse me," he said, "my mate and son are in our private suite, and I have yet to see them since this morning."

"Did your mate not want to be here?" Kagome asked.

Lord Rei's smile fell. "Our son is not feeling well, and she insisted on caring for him personally. I will tell her of what happened here, though she will no doubt learn everything from her ladies in waiting with enough time.

"As for the plan, Lord Sesshomaru," Lord Rei said, "would you care to meet later this evening?"

"Very well," Sesshomaru said.

"Excellent. I will send a guard to escort you when I have finished with my family. Until then, I bid you farewell." He gave a short wave, and left the throne room quickly.

"I suppose we should get back," Kagome said.

Shippo stood, grabbing Kagome's hand. "It'll be fine, Mama. Don't worry."

She smiled, and ruffled his hair. "I know. It's a lot to concern myself with, that's all."

"Can we help?" Rin asked, tired of being silent. She hated Lord Sesshomaru's meetings for the same reason, she couldn't speak the entire time. "I know we're just kids, but there has to be something."

Kagome shook her head, pausing before the doors as the guards opened them for her. Sesshomaru walked behind, the kids in tow. "No, just occupy yourselves and don't worry," she said. "You're certainly old enough to know about Naraku, but I want you kids out of danger."

"You worry too much," Rin said, playfully batting Shippo's ponytail as they walked. He protested, and soon the two were bickering and laughing. Hatori watched the two and laughed with them.

"Speaking of those involved, where's Jaken?" Kagome asked. They were making their way back to their rooms, and the green imp hadn't been seen since their first council with Lord Rei.

"He is sending information of our location and task to the west," Sesshomaru said. "It is important that I update the servants, should something of importance present itself in my home."

When they arrived at their rooms, the children parted with them, and Kagome and Sesshomaru retired once more. Normally it would be time to sleep, or possibly play with the kids. But if Lord Rei wanted to talk with Sesshomaru about Naraku, Kagome was determined to be involved. She would leave with Sesshomaru when Lord Rei sent for him.

"It's been quite the day," she said, sitting on the bed and taking the decorations from her hair.

"Indeed." Sesshomaru sat beside her, watching her work silently until her hair fell, loose and free, down her back. "Kagome," he said, as she finished and looked at him.

"Yes?" she answered, leaning against the bed post.

Sesshomaru hesitated a moment, and said, "Do you love me?"

()

The meeting with Lord Rei took place an hour later. Sesshomaru and Kagome sat with him in his private office, both sitting on one side of his large wooden desk. Sesshomaru looked the slightest bit annoyed at sitting in a western style chair rather than a Japanese mat, but Kagome knew he had more important things on his mind.

Lord Rei had cleared the desk of papers, and watched them carefully. Kagome continued to shift nervously, and he briefly wondered what had her so wound. But he dismissed the thought, and said, "Shall we begin?"

"Indeed." Sesshomaru looked him in the eye. "My former plan stands. We will seek out Naraku's heart, and Kagome will work toward purification of the land in the interim."

"And how do you plan to find it?"

"I can sense shards," Kagome said. "It's a skill that helped me find Naraku in the past, and I have since become skilled at detecting Naraku's aura. If any of his incarnations are in the area of have been there recently, I will be able to tell."

Lord Rei paused, and said, "Very well, Lady Kagome. I trust you have the skill. And how do you plan to destroy the heart?"

"With this."

Sesshomaru reached into his hilt and removed a sword. He placed it on the table, and said, "Bakusaiga. This sword was formed when I regained my left arm, as a creation from this Sesshomaru's regenerative abilities. It poisons the flesh it cuts and prevents regeneration."

"And that would be perfect for Naraku," Kagome said, facing Lord Rei. "His key ability is being able to revive himself with the power of the jewel. If we can kill his heart and prevent him from recreating it, or his own body, we'll be able to destroy him for good."

"I see." Lord Rei looked at the sword, and at Sesshomaru. "You plan to leave on this mission soon?"

"As soon as we can," Sesshomaru said. "I wish to be rid of Naraku and return to matters at my homestead. This land will be better for his absence."

"It's not good to have the kids involved in all this, either," Kagome added. "Shippo and Rin may be used to seeing this type of thing, traveling with us these past few years, but they need time to be kids. To relax and not listen to us worry about this evil. And Hatori never chose to live this kind of life, he needs to be taken to his grandfather and find a home."

Lord Rei gave a small smile. "You concern yourself with the children above all else."

Kagome nodded. "Of course I do."

"Is there any way I can be of service in this mission?" Lord Rei gestured to the papers around him. "I could move to send some of my generals with you. The other great lords would be pleased to help as well, I am sure."

"We need not concern more people with this," Sesshomaru assured him. "It is only more lives that will be sacrificed by those who know nothing of battling Naraku."

A thought occurred to Kagome. She hesitated, and said, "What if we brought my friends with us?"

Both daiyoukai looked at her curiously, Sesshomaru less so, but still questioning. Kagome brushed her hair back, as she was wont to do when nervous, and continued, "Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha already know what to expect in a fight with Naraku. And Inuyasha has admirable skill with Tetsusaiga, Sesshomaru. You can't deny that."

Sesshomaru frowned. "My bastard relation has a pup to deal with, does he not?"

Kagome sighed. Sesshomaru would take any excuse he could to stay away from Inuyasha. "True," she admitted, "but Hansha is staying with Kaede at the moment, for protection. Inuyasha could come with us, provided he continued to check on her periodically."

Lord Rei, ignoring the information he did not know of, said, "If your brother wields a fang of your father, Lord Sesshomaru, it may be in your best interest to include him in the battle."

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to growl. The other great lords knew of Inu no Taishou's fangs and the sons he gave them to. Sesshomaru spent years proving his power when he was looked down upon for being given the sword that could not cut. He no longer desired Tetsusaiga, but the assumption that his brother was skilled simply because he held the sword irked him.

"Inuyasha is powerful," Kagome said. "I know you don't like him, Sesshomaru. But it's important to have as much help as we can get. My friends know how to fight Naraku." She paused. "And, to be honest, I miss them. I want to work with them to beat Naraku, as we did before."

Sesshomaru looked at Kagome, peering into her eyes. The same honesty and kindness that she showed when helping others was there. He mentally cursed.

Lord Rei could not help but smile, as he watched the Lord of the West being wrapped around the finger of a woman three quarters his size. Certainly, they must be in love, for Lord Sesshomaru to allow himself to be pushed around in such a way.

Sesshomaru sighed inwardly, and said, "We shall see if we can contact them."

Kagome's eyes lit up, and without thinking, she launched herself up and wrapped her arms around Sesshomaru's neck with a loud, "Thank you!"

She realized her mistake soon afterward, yanking herself off him and blushing. "Sorry," she muttered, glancing at Lord Rei. "That was forward of me."

Lord Rei merely chuckled. He never thought he would live to see a faint tint of red on the cheeks of the inu daiyoukai.

()

Hi, everyone!

The chapter is late, and I'm actually super busy, so I'll be quick. I hope you all enjoyed this, I thought this chapter was pretty fun to write.

Thanks so much for reading, I love all you guys for sticking with the story. Word to the wise, I may be posting a new original story on my FictionPress account, if any of you care to read. I'll talk more about it and add a link next chapter.

Please review, and thanks again!

Ja ne~


	39. Hiatus

Hi, everyone! I'm sorry to say, we'll be going on hiatus for a while. School started up, I have a ton of work to do, and I've started dating someone. Until I find the right balance between school, writing, and my significant other, I have to put Roses Aren't Red on the back burner.

Thank you so much for reading and keeping up with my irregular schedule. Again, I apologize, but the story just isn't manageable at the moment.

Stay tuned, I shouldn't be gone much longer than a few weeks. Thanks again! Ja ne.


	40. The End

Hi everyone. Mattaki here. I have bad news.

I went on hiatus months ago. I was in school and focusing on my grades. I thought I would get back to this story.

But then I read a piece of advice online. That advice said, "Do not write if you do not find joy in it." I thought long and hard about what I was working on, and I realized, I no longer find joy in this story.

I started it when I was twelve. Inuyasha was a passion and I loved the SessKag pairing. But I'm eighteen now. I tried to rewrite the story to make myself feel better about the project as a whole. But in truth, I don't enjoy it anymore.

I no longer watch Inuyasha, though I plan on reading the full manga someday. It's simply too hard and expensive to keep up with the anime because I can only view it through DVDs that take months to come out. In addition, SessKag isn't a major pull for me anymore. It's adorable, they have great chemistry as characters, and I do indeed keep track of the fanart online. But I have other fan groups I'm a part of that entertain me more, and I'm also focusing more on my original work.

I have several unfinished novels. I have short stories. I even write fanfiction for other fan groups when I want to have fun. This story isn't fun for me anymore, it's a chore. I've put off working on it so long, that it's become clear I don't like it. Because of this, I'm ending it.

To be honest, the entire story was rocky from the start. Too many coincidences, happy solutions, OC characters, and an unlikely circumstance. It was poorly based off of Beauty and the Beast. I was twelve when I planned the thing, and if I redid it now, it wouldn't even look like the same story.

I'm so thankful to everyone here. To be honest, if I hadn't started the fanfiction, 'A Mysterious Flower,' when I was a kid, I might not be a writer. Creating fanfiction spurred me to try an original work during NaNoWriMo, which became my first (poorly done) novel, and now I'm studying writing in college. I'm glad I got to hear from so many people that enjoy anime and love stories. Each fan has been great, and almost every critique I got was helpful in shaping the story.

Thank you, everyone. If you wish to keep up with me and my current works, you can find my blog at mattaki dot tumblr dot com with literal dots, where I post my original short stories, along with writing and art advice from other people on Tumblr.

Keep on reading, and keep being great fans. I do wish I could continue the story with the same passion I had as a kid, but SessKag fanfiction just isn't for me anymore. You've all been wonderful through my continuous ups and downs. Thank you again.

Ja ne.

-Mattaki


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